MONUMENT — From the outset, it was clear Lewis-Palmer’s towering inside duo of Josh Scott and his younger brother, Jordan Scott, would be a handful for Pueblo West.
Early in the second quarter Tuesday night, the Cyclones’ frustration erupted. Exasperated by a series of calls that left Pueblo West’s leading scorer, Ian Imamura, with three fouls less than 11 minutes into the contest, the Cyclones’ bench was assessed four technical fouls in rapid succession, leading to a parade of free throws that helped the host Rangers (4-2 ) pull away for a 69-48 win in a nonleague matchup of two top-10 teams from Class 4A.
“Obviously he was trying to prove a point,” Pueblo West coach Robert Tyler said. “I’ve never seen an official give (four) technicals in a row consecutively. I don’t know what he was trying to prove. I’m not sure what happened.”
The fireworks began with 5:10 remaining in the half when Jordan Scott converted a driving layup and Imamura was whistled for a foul, his third of the game.
Tyler, who already had been assessed a technical foul, earned his second technical and an automatic ejection. Tyler was whistled for a third technical, and assistant coach Doug McGraw assumed control of the team for only a few seconds before he was slapped with a pair of technicals and an automatic exit.
Jordan Scott took advantage of nine consecutive free throws, making six to give the No. 7-ranked Rangers a 29-12 lead.
“My assistant got off the bench and told the players, ‘Get together over here.’ (The official) turned around and gave him a ‘T,’ ” Tyler said. “He said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ and he gave him another ‘T.’ . . . I’ve been coaching 20 years and I’ve never seen that.”
No. 8 Pueblo West (4-1) twice trimmed the Rangers’ lead to five points in the third quarter but could not overcome the Scotts, both of whom finished with 21 points.
Pueblo West 7 16 20 5 — 48
Lewis-Palmer 17 22 18 12 — 69
Pueblo West — Montera 1 0-0 3, Imamura 2 0-0 5, Roumph 5 7-8 18, Jackson 5 1-2 11, Kennedy 2 0-1 4, Brusak 0 0-0 0, Miller 1 0-0 3, Mountford 0 0-0 0, McCown 0 1-4 1, Balagat 1 0-1 3. Totals 17 9-16 48.
Lewis-Palmer — Grooms 3 2-2 9, Josh Scott 7 7-9 21, Jordan Scott 4 13-16 21, Cona 4 1-2 9, Owens 0 2-2 2, James 3 0-0 7, Smith 0 0-0 0, Holmes 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 25-31 69.
3-pt. goals — Imamura, Miller, Montera, Roumph, Balagat; Grooms, James. Total fouls — Pueblo West 24, Lewis-Palmer 16. Fouled out — None. Technicals — Pueblo West bench (5).
