Web posted
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Strong second quarter propels SH boys
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Photo by Donita Clausen
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By MIKE JOSEPH
Traveler Correspondent
SOUTH HAVEN -- South Haven coach Darren McDorman couldn't have been happy with the way his team opened the game Tuesday night against the Dexter Fighting Cardinals. That all changed in the second quarter as South Haven turned up the heat on defense on its way to a 68-52 win over Dexter.
South Haven, fresh off of their SCBL tournament championship, looked a bit lethargic throughout the first quarter. After Derrick Spencer and Jordan Creed gave the Cardinals a quick 4-0 lead, Dexter went to work. When Jake Davidson picked up his second foul with 4:35 left in the period, Dexter took their first lead, 6-4, on a steal and driving layup by Ben Pappan with 2:26 left.
South Haven turned the ball over eight times in the opening quarter while Dexter took a 12-4 lead into the second period. Dexter increased the margin to 16-6 with 6:32 left in the half when Davidson returned to the floor for South Haven.
Davidson promptly scored on a quick move in the paint and was fouled. Davidson converted the free throw and trimmed the deficit to 16-11 with 5:52 remaining. With Dexter leading 20-13, South Haven stretched their trapping half-court defense and ran off eight unanswered points off of four steals to take a 21-20 lead with just less than three minutes left in the half.
Cody Minor drilled a three-pointer giving Dexter the lead 23-21 with 2:38 left. South Haven responded with an 8-0 run to lead 30-23 at the break.
"I would say we were a little flat," McDorman said of his team's first-quarter effort. "I told them before the game that we can't take anyone lightly in this league."
Dexter trimmed the lead to three, 30-27 early in the third quarter on baskets by Minor and Bradley Berkley. Davidson responded with a three-pointer at the 6:28 mark for a 33-27 South Haven advantage.
With South Haven leading 35-29, Asa Muntz was fouled and converted the traditional three-point-play shrinking the lead back to three.
Dexter was forced to call a timeout after an 8-0 run by South Haven, highlighted by Creed's offensive rebound and shot from seven-feet pushed the lead to 43-32. Davidson and Kalen Fitch combined to give South Haven it's largest lead, 50-32, before Tyler Marker's 25-foot running three-pointer off the glass at the buzzer trimmed the lead to 50-35.
"One of the keys to our success is we need to be patient," said McDorman. "We told the boys after winning the other night, we now have a big X on our backs and we are going to get everyone's best shot."
Dexter closed the gap to 56-46 with 3:38 remaining but could get no closer as South Haven ran their record to 8-3 overall and 3-1 in SCBL play. Dexter fell to 5-9 overall and 2-5 in the league.
Minor led all scorers with 17-points for Dexter. Garret Pudden grabbed 12 boards for the Fighting Cardinals. Fitch and Davidson scored 13 apiece for South Haven. Nathan Yunker scored 12, including 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Spencer was also in double figures with 10 for South Haven.
DEXTER 12 11 12 17 -- 52
SOUTH HAVEN 4 26 20 18 -- 68
Dexter -- Minor 17, Berkley 9, Marker 8, B. Pappan 6, Pudden 6, Muntz 4, E. Pappan 2.
South Haven -- Fitch 13, Davidson 13, Yunker 12, Spencer 10, Creed 8, Parcher 6, Blaylock 2, Berry 2, Barlow 2.
Above: South Haven sophomore Patrick Curl (13) skies for a rebound Tuesday night. South Haven defeated Dexter 68-52.
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