One of these days, which Mark Jones hopes will be soon, the Doherty Spartans will be able to play a whole game.
With their usual MO this season of beginning games as if they’re on fire, then spots of fading, the Spartans, with the diminutive Jones at the front, ran out to an early lead Saturday but had to rally and hold on for a 76-73 Class 5A nonleague decision at East.
In improving to 4-2, Doherty’s up-and-down play as the 10th-ranked team in The Denver Post/9News Class 5A poll can drive its followers crazy. But Jones, like others, can see what the Spartans can do when they’re right.
“We always come out solid in the first half and that’s what we did,” the senior guard said. “But we don’t have that killer instinct as a team. (The Angels) started pressuring us . . . we got lazy and that comes from me and the other guards not talking. But once we started talking (between us), we were OK.”
It must have been a gabfest in the first quarter, as Doherty’s interior players were having their way with East (2-3). Dylan Sisneros, Andrew Hill and Matt Oesterle rebounded and put a variety of moves on the Angels’ front line.
East managed to take the lead multiple times down the stretch, but Doherty overcame turnover problems and turned in enough plays to earn an important road victory for its mental well-being.
“And that’s what counts, the end,” veteran Spartans coach Dan McKiernan said, referring to his team’s demanding schedule. “I like playing in this venue and I think my kids grew up a little bit. That’s a good win.”
The 5-foot-10 Jones led all scorers with 22 points, despite getting only two in the fourth quarter and missing two key free throws. Sisneros (17), Tyler Velasquez (12) and Hill (11) added balance.
Meanwhile, No. 4 East began slowly, had lapses on defense, experienced turnover issues, got into foul trouble and left bunches of points in the paint.
“We must have missed enough layups for 20 points,” Angels coach Rudy Carey said. “Right now, we’re not a good basketball team. (The Spartans) made mistakes too, but they’re better than us.”
Doherty 24 23 11 18 — 76
East 13 25 20 15 — 73
Doherty — Velasquez 4 2-2 12, Jones 7 4-7 22, Sisneros 7 3-5 17, Oesterle 2 3-5 7, Donohoe 2 0-0 4, Hill 3 5-8 11, Holmes 1 1-1 3. Totals 26 18-28 76.
East — Moore 0 0-0 0, Merriex 4 4-6 15, Watts 4 3-4 11, Zettas 6 1-1 15, Carter 6 2-2 16, Hakeem 0 0-0 0, Parker 3 1-1 7, Schnei- der 0 0-0 0, Gee 3 3-5 9. Totals 26 14-19 73.
3-point goals — Jones 4, Velasquez 2; Merriex 3, Zettas 2, Carter 2.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
