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South Range seniors overwhelm McDonald
By Jim Flick
McDONALD
South Range’s seniors taught the younger McDonald High boys basketball squad some tough lessons in Tuesday’s 73-52 victory.
South Range (5-1) was led by senior Dan Good, who scored 26 points and snagged 18 rebounds.
Brandon Pluchinsky added 14 points for the Raiders while Isaac Schuster netted 11 points.
Andy Lacefield and Jordan Baker each contributed 10 points.
“Our maturity as a team” was a major factor in South Range’s win, coach David Purins said.
McDonald’s leading scorer was junior Stephen Politano, who sank five 3-pointers while netting 17 points.
Sophomore Matt Seitz added 10 points while freshman Anthony Pugh scored nine points and junior Tyler Smith netted eight points.
The only senior who put points on the board for the Blue Devils was Austin Bucan, who scored seven points.
Purins said McDonald “made runs at us, they made some big shots, but our kids never stopped fighting. They never affected us on either end of the floor as far as our intensity and our approach.”
Purins said Good, a 6-foot-3 center, “has taken a lot of pride in doing whatever he can to help this team.
“It’s a really good team atmosphere around South Range basketball right now,” Purins said. “I honestly haven’t heard one selfish comment, one selfish move, one selfish thing in practice all year.”
McDonald coach Brian Higgins said, “I have a young team and I know there’s a learning curve. Whether we win or lose, we’re trying to get better every day.”
The Raiders “were more physical than us,” Higgins said. “We struggled. It was a learning experience for these guys.
“We hope weren’t not making the same mistakes after 12, 15 games,” Higgins said. “This is really a brand new team, and we’re only six games in, and I expect them to get better.
“When we get more experience, we’ll play better.”
South Range scored the first four points as Lacefield netted two field goals, and led 10-2 early in the first quarter.
McDonald pulled to within four points of South Range, 30-26, when Bucan netted a field goal and added a free throw.
But the Raiders scored eight unanswered points and led 38-26 after Baker drove the lane and sank a layup.
The Raiders led 42-31 at halftime, and outscored the Blue Devils 9-2 to start the third quarter.
South Range’s lead first reached 20 points when Pluchinsky tossed in a 3-pointer late in the third quarter.