A sensational effort by Gaffney sophomore L.J. Peak wasn’t enough to overcome the offensive efficiency of Ballard (Ky.) in the second game of the opening session of the 2011 Beach Ball Classic.
Ballard’s Bruins, the 2000 Beach Ball champions, drilled 12-of-24 three-pointers and shot 54 percent from the field overall to outshine the game-high 40 points by Peak, the Indians’ 6-foot-4 swingman, for a 91-76 victory.
The Bruins, rated No. 2 preseason in Kentucky (all classifications), came out blistering hot, hitting 9 of their first 10 shots from the floor to open a 22-7 lead.
The lead was 46-28 with a minute left in the first half when Peak went on a spurt to get the Indians back within striking distance at halftime.
Peak hit three straight threes in the final 56 seconds including a running 35-footer at the buzzer to pull the Indians (6-2) within 46-37.
“We practice that one a lot,” quipped Gaffney coach Mark Huff.
When Peak hit another three in the opening minute of the second half, Gaffney was within 48-40.
But the Bruins (6-3) pulled away down the stretch behind the shooting of Lavonne Holland, who led Ballard with 27 points.
“Obviously shooting the three tonight was big for us,” Ballard coach Chris Renner said. “It’s funny because we as a team haven’t been shooting a great percentage from three. So tonight we were able to knock some down. Defensively I was disappointed we allowed Peak to get 40 points. I didn’t feel like we did a great job of locating him and containing him.”
Gaffney’s Huff was pleased with the effort of his team
“I was very proud of our kids, the effort they gave,” Huff said. “I just told (my players) that this team, Ballard, is not down here because they’re a bad team and they showed it. They shot the ball extremely well but our kids didn’t quit.’ ”
• BALLARD (91) – Kelan Martin 4, Quenton Snider 10, David Martin 6, Ronnie Baker 12, Lavonne Holland 27, Bobby Schiavone 3, Dontez Byrd 8, Braxton Dunbar 4, Timmy Haick 4, Rijad Kovacevic 6, Aaron Murray 7
• GAFFNEY (76) – L.J. Peak 40, Cobby McDowell 2, Tee Hardy 6, Michael Wright 5, O’Bryant Davidson 3, Ron Best 5, Kerry Williams 7, Te’Andre Smith 2, Quan Weeks 6
| Ballard | 46 | 45 | – | 91 |
| Gaffney | 37 | 39 | – | 76 |
• 3-point goals: Ballard 12 (Snider 3, Baker 2, Holland 2, Schiavone, Byrd 2, Kovacevic 2); Gaffney 7 (Peak 6, Wright). Team fouls: Ballard 23, Gaffney 15. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.
• Records: Ballard (6-3); Gaffney (6-2).
• Bishop Gorman (Nev.) 81, Rye (N.Y.) 33 | It was slam city in the nightcap of the Beach Ball Classic’s opening round.
High-flying, fast-breaking Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas put on a dunking display in a victory over Rye (N.Y.).
There were two-handed slams, tomahawk dunks and dunks off alley-oops, and after 20 of the game’s 32 minutes, the Gaels had slammed an even dozen times to get a rise out of the crowd.
National recruit Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, contributed five of the slams, many in spectacular fashion.
But it wasn’t the dunks that Bishop Gorman coach Grant Rice took note of.
“We try to take advantage of our athleticism and our size and I thought Demetris Morant really came out and set the tone with seven blocks in that first half,” Rice said. “It was a good first half, we had 14 assists and you’re always happy when you get over 10 assists in a first half.’”
Bishop Gorman, the 2009 Beach Ball Classic champion, held a 12-8 lead early in the first half before taking charge. The Gaels scored 29 unanswered points including four dunks during the stretch to take a 41-8 lead with 1:54 left in the half.
The Gaels held a commanding 44-13 lead at halftime.
Bishop Gorman opened the second half with 10 straight points with four of the five of the baskets coming on dunks. When Ronnie Stanley dunked with 12:31 left in the game the Gaels held a 54-13 lead.
The Gaels (5-2) hit 34 of 58 shots (58 percent) for the game as Muhammad led the way with 24 points.
Rye (1-3) was led by Max Twyman with 9 points.
• RYE (33) – Kamal Logue 8, Teddy Ice 4, Michael Garofalo 4, Max Twyman 9, Michael D’Antoni 3, Michael O’Neill 3, Richard Hardis 2
• BISHOP GORMAN (81) – Rashad Muhammad 6, Rosco Allen 12, Shabazz Muhammad 24, Demetris Morant 11, Mishima Gray 2, Robert Stanley 2, Trey Kennedy 2, Obim Okeke 2, Nick Gianakoulias 9, Grant Tucker 4, Stephen Zimmerman 7
| Rye | 13 | 20 | – | 33 |
| Bishop Gorman | 44 | 37 | – | 81 |
• 3-point goals: Rye 6 (Logue 2, Twyman 2, D’Antoni, O’Neill); Bishop Gorman 3 (Gianakoulias 3). Team fouls: Rye 14, Bishop Gorman 8. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.
• Records: Rye (1-3); Bishop Gorman (5-2).
Pre-tournament game
• Myrtle Beach Christian 49, Green Sea Floyds 45 | Kendall Henry had a game-high 16 points as Myrtle Beach Christian Academy beat Green Sea-Floyds at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. With the win, the Saints got their second victory ever over a public school team. The first ever win came against Carvers Bay last year.
Devante Dawkins led the Trojans with 16 points and Deandre Collier added 12 points.
• GREEN SEA FLOYDS (45) – Devaris Spain 5, Kroshon Thompson 7, Deandre Collier 12, Devante Dawkins 16, Rashaad Bessant 2, Jamaal Swinton 3
• MYRTLE BEACH CHRISTIAN (49) – Austin Guyton 2, Alex Morris 6, Cole Gore 2, Garrett Richards 4, Kendall Henry 16, Tyler Bass 4, Cody Williams 4, Matt Doria 6, Alex Newsome 5
| Green Sea Floyds | 25 | 20 | – | 45 |
| Myrtle Beach Christian | 31 | 18 | – | 49 |
• 3-point goals: Green Sea Floyds 3 (Spain, Dawkins, Swinton); Myrtle Beach Christian 4 (Morris 2, Doria, Newsome). Team fouls: Green Sea Floyds 14, Myrtle Beach Christian 11. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.
• Records: Green Sea Floyds (3-3); Myrtle Beach Christian (6-6).
E-Mail
Print
The Sun News Terms & Conditions and Commenting Policies can be reviewed here.