Mustangs’ first five pull equal weight against Rams
Laurel Highlands used a total team effort Friday night and outplayed Ringgold for a 78-68 win in a Section 2AAAA matchup on the Mustangs’ hardwood. All five Mustang starters scored in double figures with tremendous help from the bench who added a little scoring, but a lot of defense.
Brian John (16) led the LH scoring followed by Paul Briczinski (15), Kenny Riddell (14), Andre Ramsey (12) and Cory Nesser (10).
“We have eight or nine guys who can play,” Mustang coach Mark John said. “I wish I could give each of them more minutes. They are totally unselfish and for the team. They’re a great bunch of guys.”
For the Rams, Ryan Bowker scored a game-high 18 points, contributing four 3-pointers followed by big man Troy Yonkers who scored 16.
Going into the game, John knew there could be trouble underneath with the Rams big 6-foot-8 center. “Yonkers is hard to handle inside,” noted John. “We tried to make some adjustments and trap.”
John’s strategy worked. Yonkers was guarded by either J.T. Stephanik or Briczinski all game. Both played well, holding Yonkers to six points in the first half. Stephanik played physical defense keeping his body on Yonkers and Briczinski used his quickness and speed.
“JT and Paul have been splitting time,” said John. “They’re both good kids and athletes. They sacrifice for the team and that’s a big part of our team.
“I thought LH played well,” Rams coach Phil Pergola said. “They shot well and that’s the key to the game.”
Offensively, the Mustangs started out slowly. The Rams led the game 20-13 after the first quarter, led by the shooting of Bowker who hit two 3-pointers. “We came out passive and didn’t get after it,” said John explaining his team’s slow start.
The Mustangs came out on fire for the second quarter. They outscored the Rams 10-1 to take a 23-21 lead with 4:25 remaining in the half.
The teams battled, and with 2:34 remaining in the half, Bowker hit a 3-pointer to give the Rams a 27-26 lead. LH finished the half with a 6-2 run to give them the lead at the half, 32-29. Riddell and John each contributed six in the quarter and Riddell’s two free throws gave the Mustangs a 30-29 lead with 12 seconds left in the half.
The second half was more like a track meet than a basketball game. Both teams came out running and scoring, but the Mustangs came away outscoring the Rams 26-23 to give them a six-point lead, 58-52, going into the fourth period.
“They won the game in the third quarter,” Pergola said. “Free throws kept them in the game the first half and they shoot the ball well in the third quarter.”
The Mustangs did shoot well from the charity stripe in the first half, going 13-15 from the line. Ramsey led LH in the third quarter hitting two three-pointers and scoring an uncontested basket after a steal at half court to give him eight points for the quarter.
Laurel Highlands opened the fourth quarter with a 10-3 run to make the score 66-55 and never looked back, winning 78-68. Nesser scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter on four clutch free throws and two drives to the basket.
John could not say enough about his team’s effort on the night, “We have a real unselfish team and they all look for one another.”
Laurel Highlands returns to action in a non-section contest Monday at Woodland Hills, and Ringgold plays Thursday at the Charleroi Magic City Classic.