The Mullen Mustangs are learning.
A week after getting taken out of their game in an annoying two-point loss to Smoky Hill, the third-ranked Mustangs overwhelmed No. 9 Grandview on Wednesday night, pounding the ball inside to 7-foot center Ray Hall and playing tough defense down the stretch.
“We figured what we finally got to do to get teams down so they can’t come back,” Hall said. “It was a great learning experience.”
The 77-66 victory was the Mustangs’ second in a row and their second this season over the Wolves, who swept their Class 5A Centennial League rival last season.
Hall, a four-year starter who signed recently with Providence, scored 11 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down 16 rebounds, and senior Robby Hanzlik scored 19 points to lead the Mustangs.
Mullen (16-2, 8-1 league) broke a 37-37 tie with a 15-4 run to close out the third quarter, punctuated by Hanzlik’s step-back 3-pointer from the top of the key.
The experienced Mustangs attacked inside throughout the fourth quarter, received five points off the bench from Sean Elges and never let the Wolves get closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Fresh off missing two free throws, Elges sank a baseline 3-pointer before he stole the ball and converted a layup to put Mullen up 64-50 with three minutes remaining.
“We spent some time watching film and trying to break down some of the stuff we’ve done, Mustangs coach Porter Cutrell said.
“I think the guys have done a pretty good job of understanding what the problems were for us and working our way through it.”
Mullen maintained its one-game lead in the Centennial League race, but must finish the regular season with five consecutive road games after playing seven straight games at home, one of the odder scheduling quirks in 2005-06.
Grandview (13-5, 5-4), which clawed back from an early 12-2 hole, had five players score in double figures. The Wolves, however, couldn’t get enough stops or hit enough big shots to answer Mullen’s third-quarter run.
The Wolves hit just seven field goals in the second half.
Jake Nielson scored 21 points, Brandon Sweet had 11 and Spencer Childress, Brandon Gentry and Scott Flanagan scored 10 points apiece as the Wolves had their four-game winning streak snapped.
“Their baskets were falling,” Flanagan said. “Ray was hitting his little hook shot that he does, and we couldn’t stop anything.”
Mustangs point guard Devin Aguilar (nine points) steadied the home team and helped the Mustangs come up with 15 turnovers.
Mullen switched up its defense frequently to further frustrate the Wolves.
“It’s our time, our possession, and we can just hold it and it makes them just try to hurry up shots,” Aguilar said.
Grandview 15 20 7 24 – 66
Mullen 17 15 20 25 – 77
Grandview – Olmstead 0 0-0 0, McClung 0 0-0 0, Childress 4 0-0 10, Mason 0 1-2 1, Gentry 3 2-2 10, Nielson 4 11-13 21, Fernandez 1 1-2 3, Flanagan 3 2-2 10, Sweet 4 3-6 11. Totals 19 20-27 66.
Mullen – Aguilar 4 0-0 9, Allen 0 0-0 0, Ward 3 0-0 6, Theret 2 0-0 4, Shaw 1 0-0 2, Hanzlik 5 7-9 19, Elges 2 0-4 5, Gruber 0 1-2 1, Stathopulos 0 0-0 0, Hall 12 5-11 29, Russell 1 0-0 2, Brugman 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 13-26 77.
3-pt. goals – Childress 2, Flanagan 2, Gentry 2, Nielson 2; Hanzlik 2, Aguilar, Elges. Total fouls – Grandview 17, Mullen 20. Fouled out – Hanzlik. Technicals – Gentry, Hall.
