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Big second quarter helps LaBrae cruise
By Jim Flick
NILES
The LaBrae High boys basketball team dominated the second quarter Tuesday night on the way to a 65-42 victory over Niles.
Leading 17-14 after the first quarter, LaBrae (9-1) outscored Niles (6-6) 17-2 in the second quarter, turning a close game into a runaway win.
LaBrae was led by Matt Szorady, who tallied 21 points, including 17 in the first half. John Richards scored 16 points, including 13 in the first half, sinking five 3-point shots.
Jacob Jaros took the ball inside for LaBrae, scoring 11 points.
Reggie Wells came off the bench to lead Niles with 13 points, including two 3-pointers. Ray Russ added six points for the Red Dragons.
“We shot the ball extremely well in the first half,” said LaBrae coach Chad Kiser. “That opened up our inside game.”
Richards connected for four 3-point shots before halftime, and Szorady added two more first-half treys. The Vikings scored only nine field goals in the first half, but six were 3-pointers.
Regarding Richards’ consistent 3-point shooting, Kiser said, “That’s what he’s in there for.”
In the second quarter, the LaBrae coach said, “We didn’t do anything different.” But he noted that Niles’ top guards were in foul trouble in the second quarter and went to the bench.
Kiser said in the locker room at halftime, he cautioned his players to keep up their intensity in the third quarter, and was alarmed when Niles scored the first two field goals of the third quarter.
“We gave up some buckets right of the bat in the third quarter, but we got it back quickly,” he said.
Niles coach Rick Kover blamed the Red Dragons’ loss on “cold shooting.”
“If you’re going to set up for 3-point shots, you better make them. We didn’t. And we weren’t getting the ball inside enough,” Kover said. “We need to play better against good teams.”
His guards’ foul problems in the second quarter were a problem, the Niles coach added, due to a “lack of experience for the bench.”
Niles’ Bobby Marino started the game with a field goal but Szorady quickly countered with his first 3-pointer.
Late in the first quarter, DeVontae Wesson sank a short jumper to give Niles what would turn out to be its last lead, 12-11. But Szorady and Richards struck back with 3-pointers to put LaBrae in front 17-12.
The teams traded field goals at the start of the second quarter, but then LaBrae started its blitz. The Vikings scored 15 unanswered points to take a 34-16 halftime lead.
Niles fought almost even in the third quarter, but LaBrae outscored the Red Dragons 11-10.
LaBrae outscored Niles 20-16 in the fourth quarter.