Aurora – The contrast on display Saturday afternoon was as great as one of those crazy Colorado blizzards quickly followed by gorgeous sunshine.
In a nutshell, the Grandview boys basketball team turned in its best game of the 2006-07 season, Smoky Hill its worst.
The Wolves ran past the host Buffaloes 64-49, a thorough, convincing victory in their second consecutive road trip in the Centennial League, additionally significant in that the league accounted for the Class 5A final four last season, a Colorado first.
Grandview, all but devoid of any major contributors from last season’s semifinalist team, improved to 5-4, 1-1, and was thrilled about its play. Smoky Hill, also a semifinalist a year ago, dipped to 7-2, 1-1, and would prefer to forget about it.
“This game was a real confidence-builder for us,” Grandview senior guard Jordan McClung said after leading the way with 18 points.
Wolves coach Gary Childress concurred, saying: “Definitely, it was our best win because it was against one of the best teams in the state, a league game and on their court. We played with as much heart as we have.”
Smoky Hill coach Ken Shaw didn’t argue.
“We played probably six minutes of good basketball in the third quarter,” he said. “We just weren’t ready from the get-go and just spent half the game fighting ourselves. But Grandview did a great job, put up a heck of an effort. We clawed back, then they built it back up.
“They just wanted to do it more than we did … for whatever reason, it was a bad day.”
Behind McClung and Josh Riddle, Grandview used a 24-12 scoring advantage in the second quarter, when the wheels started to come off for the Buffs, to take a 37-25 halftime lead. Smoky Hill rallied to tie it at 40 in the third, but Grandview scored the final nine points of the quarter to retake command.
Down the stretch, Grandview, despite foul trouble, got loose balls, defended, rebounded, protected the ball and didn’t blink. Smoky Hill took poor shots, missed a variety of layups – notably a breakaway and uncontested follow-up – was guilty of bad passing and stayed a step slow. The Buffs shot 4-of-13 from the floor in the fourth quarter while Grandview used the clock to its advantage and disrupted its hosts with an effective zone defense.
“We did do the zone and it was scary because (the Buffs) have shooters,” Childress said.
Said McClung: “This game we were a lot stronger with the ball, played better team ball and we all know our roles.”
Tyler Dreman also sparked Grandview with 13 points, including follow-ups at the end of the second and third quarters when he caught Smoky Hill flat-footed. Eight of his points were scored in the fourth quarter.
Scott May led all scorers with 19 points for Smoky Hill. Sam Huebner added 12 points and Josh Cassaday 10, but neither scored in the fourth quarter.
Grandview 13 24 12 15 – 64
Smoky Hill 13 12 15 9 – 49
Grandview – Male 1 0-1 2, Fernandez 4 0-0 9, McClung 4 6-6 18, Riddle 4 2-3 11, Campbell 1 3-4 6, Parker 1 0-0 2, Dreman 4 5-6 13, Johnson 0 3-4 3, Abrahamson 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 19-24 64.
Smoky Hill – Agyei 0 0-0 0, Ross 3 0-0 6, May 7 3-5 19, Cassaday 4 2-2 10, Huebner 4 4-6 12, Stroth 0 0-0 0, Whittington 1 0-0 2, Carter 0 0-0 0, Perry 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 9-13 49.
3-point goals – McClung 4, Campbell, Fernandez, Riddle; May 2. Fouled out – Fernandez. Total fouls – Grandview 17, Smoky Hill 22. Technicals – None.
