BASKETBALL: Warriors slam Salem for Tip-Off title
For the Salem Bobcats, it might as well have been the Golden State Warriors they were up against on Friday night. The Du Quoin Middle School Warriors used a 25-0 second quarter run to pull away from Salem for a 68-32 win, their fourth in a row to start the season.
The victory wrapped up a 3-0 championship at Du Quoin Tip-Off for the home team. Braeden Pursell led the Warriors with 18 points, as DMS again played in front of a near-capacity crowd for the third time this week.
"With a couple transfers coming in, (Daughtery) and Brian Winters, the hype is up," said Warriors head coach Aaron Wright. "When you practice for two or three weeks, the kids are ready to play. The community was here, there were big crowds coming to watch all week, that all adds up."
The game was knotted at 4-4 when the Warriors went on a 9-0 run in the first quarter. Kadin Mays' three-pointer capped it off with 3:00 left in the period. But Salem fought to stay in it, chipping away to trail by only six at 16-10 through seven minutes of action.
When the horn sounded to start the second quarter, DMS took over. Pursell hit a baseline jumper to start the Warriors' big run, and moments later, Brian Winters hit the first of his three three-pointers in the period.
Du Quoin's defense forced turnover after turnover by the Bobcats, who often struggled to get the ball across half-court. A stick-back bucket by Lomontay Daughtery just before the half gave the Warriors a 43-11 lead heading into the break, and DMS's starting five played sparingly in the second half.
"Salem did a couple things early that we weren't really prepared for, things they hadn't done yet," said Wright. "We had to make some adjustments after the first quarter and at halftime to do some things about it."
"I'm pleased with our defensive effort right now, and it still can get better. I wasn't pleased with our man-to-man. We didn't do real well, but when (Daughtery) came in at the start of the second quarter, the kids looked at me and said '3-2 trap?' I said yep, let's go. With our length, that's our bread and butter right now, that 3-2 trap."
Daughtery joined Pursell in double figures with 11 points, and led DMS in rebounding with 8 boards. Jacob Harsy finished with 7 rebounds.
Winters had 9 points, Mays 7, Dasani Edward 5, Wade Roberson and Braden Higgins each had 4, Nick Depyatic and Jason Whitfield each finished with 3, and Alex Zimmerman and Dajon Johnson both had 2. Mays lead the team in assists with 4.
"We're very blessed right now," Wright said. "We can switch defenses, we can get some in and out game, we can post up. It helps to have some depth."
"We have some athleticism, but I told our kids we can't rely on athleticism. We have to start grinding it out because when we hit Herrin and Pinckneyville, we're going to be in for a dog fight. We're going to have to grind it out and earn our baskets."
The Warriors are off this week before a trip to Herrin, one of the area's best junior high hoops squads this season, on November 16. The 7th grade game tips off at 5:30 p.m.