Aurora – Even as his teammates were looking to get the ball to Josh Cassaday, the 6-foot-6 senior was looking out for his teammates.
Cassaday set a workman’s tone in the first half and never rested in leading the Smoky Hill boys basketball team to an 88-72 nonleague victory over visiting Montbello on Friday night in front of a standing-room only crowd.
While Cassaday scored 34 points, including a 15-for-15 performance from the free-throw line, and 17 rebounds, he was quick to credit his Buffaloes teammates for the impressive team effort.
“My teammates were definitely looking for me, especially in that first half,” Cassady said. “They were hitting me on back cuts, clearing the floor when I had one-on-one situations, giving me the ball on the break. So really, it has to go to them.”
Smoky Hill, No. 4 in The Denver Post/9News Class 5A poll, improved to 4-1 on the season by taking a commanding first-half lead and turning away a couple rally attempts by No. 8 Montbello, which dropped its first game and fell to 7-1.
Scott May scored 18 points for Smoky Hill, and guards Travis Stroth and Leon Whittington combined for 26 more. The Buffaloes were money from the line, hitting 31-of-35 attempts.
Quincy Hairston led the way for Montbello with 28 points and seven rebounds, and Nate Nelson finished with 20 points, including four 3-pointers. The 6-foot-5 Anthony Porch was held to four points, nearly 14 under his season average.
The game began with a 3-pointer by Stroth, and the Buffaloes led throughout the first quarter. Nelson tied the score at 19 for Montbello with a soft jumper, but Smoky Hill went on a 16-2 run to stretch its lead to 35-21.
The Warriors responded in the second half and were able to get within five points (49-44) on back-to-back 3-pointers by Nelson, but Smoky Hill did exactly what it needed to do.
“It was a real team effort on defense,” May said. “We always try to separate, keep building on the lead we have. Today we were able to keep our composure and do that because we didn’t (in a loss) against Arapahoe.”
The Buffaloes extended their lead throughout the fourth quarter, reaching a high of 18 points, with rapid-fire passes around the perimeter, patience and an eye for the open man.
However, the eagle-eye of Smoky Hill coach Ken Shaw saw room for improvement.
“They are a tough team to play smooth against,” Shaw said. “At times we were really good, at other times we were a little bit ahead of ourselves. … But I liked the way we reacted. They made a couple of runs and we were able to pull it back, so it’s a step in the right direction.”
Montbello 13 18 22 19 – 72
Smoky Hill 16 27 22 23 – 88
Montbello – Littlejohn 4 0-0 8, Hairston 12 3-4 28, Porch 2 0-0 4, Nelson 8 0-0 20, Baker 0 0-0 0, McDonald 2 0-0 4, Soaporu 0 1-2 1, Jordan 1 2-2 5, Crowder 0 0-2 0, Shead 0 2-4 2. Totals 29 8-14 72.
Smoky Hill – Stroth 3 6-6 14, Whittington 4 3-4 12, May 7 3-4 18, Ross 1 3-4 5, Cassaday 8 15-15 34, Agyei 1 1-2 3, Perry 1 0-0 2, Carter 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 31-35 88.
3-pt. goals – Nelson 4, Hairston, Jordan; Cassaday 2, Stroth 2, Whittington, May. Total fouls – Montbello 22; Smoky Hill 16. Fouled out – Ross. Technical – Montbello bench.
