webservant
web page consultants:
Servant Technologies |
[ PREVIOUS
STORIES ]
| 11-30-02: Bulldogs dominate in season
opener |
By GARY R. RASBERRY
Sports Writer
The 2002-03 season opened up very strong for the Celina Bulldogs in
taking a 61-44 win over Piqua at Garbry Gymnasium on Friday.
Celina shot over 50 percent from the floor and held tough against a
tenacious Indian pressure defense. Celina only committed 12 turnovers in the game as a
15-3 run at the start of the third quarter all but put the game away for the Bulldogs.
"It was a good team effort," said Celina coach Mike Kanney.
"I though our kids came out and played real hard defensively. We got a lot of
contributions from a lot of different guys."
Kanney kept a steady rotation of players throughout the game, which
came into play as the Bulldogs took control through the game.
Celina used its starters to start the pull-away in the first quarter.
Piqua trailed 5-4 halfway through the opening stanza before junior Tim Homan hit a pair of
deuces and a long three-pointer within a span of two minutes to make the score 12-4.
Brett Dorsten also got into the act with a lay-up with less than a
minute to go to make it 14-6 after one. Celina made six of its eight field goal attempts
in the first quarter while Piqua managed to hit just two of its nine shots.
In the second quarter, the fouls began to pile up for Piqua as the
Indians committed 15 in the first half. Celina could have put the game away in the first
half if not for a sluggish start from the foul line. The Bulldogs made just eight of its
18 attempts in the first half, including a stretch of seven misses out of eight midway
through the second quarter.
The shooting away from the line tempered down a little but still was a
respectable 10-of-18 in the first half as Celina pushed its lead to 31-15 at the half
thanks to eight second quarter turnovers by the Indians. The Indians weren't able to get
into their high-tempo game and had trouble shooting, making just 5-of-15 field goals at
the half.
"I think our guys did a good job of getting good position and not
letting them get any good looks early," said Kanney. "Late in the game we gave
up a few easy baskets but we'll work on that."
The Bulldogs pulled away for good in the early part of the third
quarter. Dorsten hit all three of his shots and both free throws and Jeff Vondrell had
five of his 10 points in the third quarter as Celina cruised into the fourth quarter with
a 52-29 lead.
The Indians kept fighting with the shooting of senior Josh Clay. Clay
missed just one field goal attempt in the second half to finish with a game-high 22
points. The Indians got a little closer but not enough to caution Celina.
"That was more of a function of our first group going against
their second group, said Piqua coach Russ Sponsel. "It's really not making anything
happen."
Celina finished the game shooting 54 percent from the floor and
committing just 12 turnovers. Kanney was happy to see his team come out and play strong
from the beginning.
"I think that will be a strength of the team," said Kanney of
the low number of turnovers. "We've got a lot of guys who can handle the ball. That's
something we hope to hang our hat on this season."
Dorsten led Celina with 20 points on seven-of-eight shooting from the
floor. Homan added 12 and Vondrell finished with 10 as nine Bulldogs got into the scoring
column.
Celina continues its season-opening road trip tonight at Toledo Central
Catholic. DIRECTIONS TO TOLEDO CENTRAL CATHOLIC:
To get to the school, take Interstate 75 north to the Brancroft Street
exit, stay right on Brancroft through five stoplights to the Franklin Street intersection.
Turn left on Franklin and follow the road until it dead ends at Toledo Central Catholic
High School. |
|
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY STANDARD
|
Phone:
(419)586-2371, Fax: (419)586-6271
All content copyright 2002
The Standard Printing
Company
P.O. Box 140, Celina, OH
45822 |
|
|
