Big first quarter lifts Falcons

Graham takes 21-9 lead and holds on to beat rival Greenon.

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By Michael Cooper, Staff Writer Updated 9:47 AM Saturday, January 28, 2012

ENON — In the first quarter at Greenon High School on Friday night, the Graham boys basketball hit almost every shot it took, at least it felt that way.

The Falcons led 21-9 after one quarter en route to a 46-36 Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division victory over the Knights.

“I felt like we put ourselves in a good position to get open looks, and the kids knocked them down,” said Graham coach Brook Cupps.

He was happy they did. From that point forward, the Falcons scored a total of 25 points, but never trailed in the game.

“We got good looks, we just couldn’t quite get the ball into the basket,” Cupps said. “We didn’t help ourselves by missing some free throws and turning the ball over late in the game. That’s something we’re going to have to do better.”

Falcons senior Austin Hicks had eight of his 10 points in the first quarter, nailing two 3-pointers. The final trey capped a 13-3 run for the Falcons (8-4, 5-2 CBC Mad River Division), who won their fifth straight game.

Graham led by as many as 16 points in the second quarter. Greenon cut the lead to seven at 33-24 in the third quarter on a bucket by senior Josh Pilcher, but couldn’t get any closer.

“In the fourth quarter, I was waiting for Pilcher or (CBC-leading scorer Anthony) Colletti to hit a big shot and help them get back into the game,” Cupps said. “Thankfully we were able to make enough plays down the stretch.”

Colletti had a game-high 14 points and Pilcher added 12 for the Knights, who fell to 7-8 and 3-4 in the Mad River Division. Greenon entered the game averaging a CBC-best 59.4 point per game, but struggled to get off open shots against the CBC’s second-rated defense.

“Defensively, I thought we did a nice job,” Cupps said. “Pilcher and Colletti both had to work hard for their points.”

Greenon coach Tim Lacy was proud of his team’s effort, but said the big deficit in the first half was hard to overcome.

“You can’t trail 21-9 against a quality team,” Lacy said. “In the second half, we’d make a run at them, but when we had to finish or hold onto the ball, we couldn’t.”

The Knights pressured the Falcons down the stretch and forced several turnovers, but couldn’t convert them into points.

“We’d get a steal or a turnover, then mentally we’d make a mistake,” Lacy said.

The game was the opposite of their first meeting on Dec. 16, which saw Graham struggle from the field in a 42-39 loss. The Knights broke a 20-game losing streak to the Falcons with that victory.

Both teams will take the court tonight against nonconference opponents. Graham travels to Wilmington, while Greenon hosts Dayton Ponitz.

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