PREP BASKETBALL Girard's hot start keys victory

Indians senior Randy Mason scored 12 of his 18 points in the first quarter.
By DOUG CHAPIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
McDONALD -- The Girard High basketball team displayed a hot hand in the first half to build a double-digit lead and cruised to a 65-46 victory Friday over neighborhood rival McDonald.
Randy Mason scored 12 of his 18 points in the first quarter and Walter Jones tossed in nine of his 23 points in the second quarter as Girard built a 36-20 halftime advantage.
The Indians made eight of their nine 3-point attempts in the first half of both team's season opener.
"Overall, we were pleased considering it was the first game," Girard coach Mike DelBene said. "Things were a little rough around the edges, but we were really pleased with the way we shot, especially in the first half."
"We weren't as pleased with the defense, especially in transition," DelBene said. "Overall, though, for a first game, we were happy with the way things went."
Young team: Girard returned four letterwinners from last year's 17-7 team and the experience showed against a very young McDonald team.
The Blue Devils started a freshman, two sophomores and a junior.
That junior, Kevin Stonestreet, is McDonald's lone letterman and that was evident on the court as he scored 23 points, half of the Devils total.
"We played like a very young team with too many turnovers and mistakes," first-year coach Ed Dolsak said.
"Coming in, we had hoped there wouldn't be quite so many turnovers, but Girard has a nice team with some returning starters and we had trouble with their pressure," Dolsak said.
"The good thing that came from the game was we never gave up," Dolsak said. "The kids fought to the end and kept a good attitude. Nothing but good can come from that."
Key quarter: McDonald was within 13-12 early until Mason scored five points in the last minute of the first quarter for an 18-12 Girard lead.
Jones canned a 3-pointer and converted a traditional 3-point play in the first two minutes of the second quarter for a 24-12 lead.
In the third quarter, McDonald got no closer than 14 points. Girard led by as many as 25 in the final frame.
Girard shot 47 percent (24 of 51) from the field and Jones led the way on the boards with seven rebounds.
DelBene says the inside game is something the Indians must work on.
"We don't have much size, but we are going to have to be able to do something inside in the TAC [Trumbull Athletic Conference] and with the other teams on our schedule," he said. "Those teams aren't going to allow us to shoot from the outside."