Thursday, Jan. 12 2012 5:32PM
Broncos set fire to Panthers
By Ryan Weaver, Special to the Journal
Ryan Weaver, Special to the Journal
Guard Ryan Sorrell calls a play in the second half Tuesday against Ray-Pec. A 16-5 third quarter propelled the Broncos past the Panthers 49-41.
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closeIn a bit of foreshadowing of how the Lee’s Summit North High School boys basketball team would play in the third quarter Tuesday night, the fire alarm went off just before halftime at Raymore-Peculiar High School.
The Broncos outscored the Panthers 16-5 in the third quarter, propelling them to a 49-41 road win and improving their record to 9-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
After leading 20-17 at the half, the Broncos turned up the defensive intensity, forcing three turnovers in the first 45 seconds. Then Richard Chapman drained back-to-back threes from the same spot to spark the Broncos’ big quarter.
“I thought our defensive effort (changed). That was the big thing,” LSN head coach Mike Hilbert said. “We were able to play a little bit harder with a little more attention to detail. I think we got them to turn it over a little bit.
“Offensively we were a little more patient. I thought we took better shots in that third quarter and stretched the lead. Defensive intensity and offensive execution was the difference in the third quarter compared to the first and second.”
Rob Durbin added the period at the end of the third with a three of his own at the buzzer, giving the Broncos a 36-22 advantage and the Panthers wouldn’t come closer than eight the rest of the way. In all, the Broncos netted five from long range.
“I think they’re one of the best in the city,” Ray-Pec head coach Scott Jermain said. “We have got to play at a very high level with a lot of focus and we just didn’t do that in the third quarter. For whatever reason, we just didn’t do it. And that hurts you.”
Will Harrington led the Broncos in scoring with 12 while Ryan Sorrell scored eight and Chapman and Matt Ellwood each added seven.
Up 12-11, Ellwood nailed a three which was answered immediately by Austin Murkin’s trey. Harrington put the Broncos up 17-14 with a layup, but Joel Thomas tied the game up with a three-pointer of his own. Joining in from long range, Sorrell regained the lead for LSN.
Then the fire alarm went off with 22.6 seconds left in the second quarter, causing the building to be evacuated.
“In coaching sub-varsity, I’ve been in a situation where a fire alarm went off, so I kind of knew what to do,” Hilbert said. “First thing you do is you don’t run your sweaty kids outside. You make them put on their clothes. It’s a crazy deal. I guess their popcorn machine sets off the smoke alarm routinely.”
