Rockets deny Red Devils TCC title share
Comments (...)|
|
| Derek Lukosus was one of eight Red Devils seniors honored Friday night at Hall High School. (BCR photo/Jeff Schlesinger) |
| Buy Bureau County Republican Photos » |
SPRING VALLEY — The Roanoke-Benson Rockets came into Red Devil Gymnasium and denied the Red Devils a chance at a conference championship in their initial season in the Tri-County Conference, defeating them Friday 55-52 and giving them their second conference defeat.
Rocket Coach Abe Zeller used that as motivation for his players.
“We talked about not letting a team that is only going to be in the league for a year or two win a conference championship,” he said. “Now that’s not a knock against Hall it’s just something we tried to use as motivation for our kids.”
The Rockets jumped to a quick lead, riding the hot shooting of junior guard Dakota Osborn (8 first quarter points) to a 17-8 first quarter lead. After that, Hall put the defensive clamps on the Rockets but could not mount the offensive attack needed to overcome the early deficit.
“I thought our defense was alright. We just couldn’t shoot,” said Hall coach Mike Filippini. “Roanoke had kids that made shots, and we just couldn’t tonight. We couldn’t buy a basket.”
A big part of that defense was due to the play of senior forward Tony Victor who drew the task of defending Rocket leading scorer Brandon deFreese. Victor was able to limit him to five first half points and the Red Devils were able to whittle the deficit to five at the half going into the break down 24-19.
The Red Devils then came out with two quick baskets, including a tip-in by Victor only 49 seconds into the second half, to pull within a single point. But then the Rockets reeled off eight unanswered points over the next three plus minutes to stretch the lead back to nine before closing out the third quarter up 36-26.
Sophomore guard Brett Fanning opened the fourth quarter with an early 3 to pull the Red Devils within seven, but deFreese responded with a three of his own and Hall was never able to get closer than nine the remainder of the game.
Shortly after that, Victor was forced to the bench with his fourth foul and the Red Devils just did not have enough defensive answers to the Rockets’ three-man offensive attack of Osborn (14 points), deFreese (19) and senior forward Jason Bradle (13).
“Tony (Victor) is probably our best perimeter defender,” Filippini said. “He’s not the best offensive player but he’s a really good defensive player. When he got in foul trouble, who are we going to put on deFreese?”
The Red Devils had points from eight different players but Fanning was the only one who cracked double figures putting in 11.
Senior forward Scott Ernat, who got the start on account of it being senior night, hit a first quarter 3-point shot to give the Red Devils a 3-0 lead, their only lead of the evening. Then he hit a 3-point shot with 30 seconds left in the game to record the final regular season points for the Red Devils.
Those six points tied Erant with fellow seniors Brian Kruse and Jake Ries as the second leading scorers for Hall.
• Notes: Hall seniors honored Friday include Ernat, Kruse, Ries, Tony Victor, Nick Epley, Collin Bezely, Erick Fuentes and Derek Lukosus. ... Roanoke won the sophomore game 60-51. Hall was led by Zach UrbanskI with 12 points and Austin Schmitt and Miguel Villareal with 11 each.
Comments
Total Comments 0 View/Add Comments |
There have been no comments made about this story. |
