Could the Centertown Warriors carry their momentum over to Thursday after a 14-point win over Eastside on Tuesday night? The Pioneers of WCMS answered that question with a convincing 43-19 win over Centertown.
WCMS outscored the Warriors in every quarter from start to finish. Layne Roberts led all scorers with a game-high 14 points for the Pioneers.
The Pioneer defense picked apart the Warrior offense and stopped the big playmakers for Centertown in their tracks. Four Pioneer players combined for nine first-quarter points versus the Warriors two.
Roberts led WCMS with three of his 14 in the first period. Chance Hunter was perfect from the free-throw line and helped WCMS to its early lead.
The Warriors struggled to get the offense going. Nathan Lemons was forced to give the ball up after he drew multiple defenders in the early minutes. Lemons was the only Warrior to get to the rim for Centertown and the Warriors trailed 9-2 after one.
In the second quarter, WCMS made its move and pushed the tempo. The Pioneers extended their lead with a 13-point quarter. Five players found the rim and the Warrior defense was stretched to its limits. Eli Kuykendall picked up two of his nine points in the second period. True Craven posted his only basket and the Warriors were on their heels.
WCMS made Lemons earn his points from the charity stripe and he went 3-for-6 in the second. Blake Adams got his first points of the game just before halftime. At the half, WCMS led 22-7.
It did not get any easier for the Warriors in the second half. WCMS came out of the locker room refreshed and started right where they had left off.
Raleigh Gilliam got to the basket and got his shot to fall for the Pioneers. Roberts knocked down a pair of jumpers in the third. It was more defense by WCMS that made life miserable for the Warriors. Lemons was held scoreless in the third quarter and Adams added four points to his total.
At the end of three and headed into the final period it was apparent WCMS would not settle for anything less than a decisive win. Keldrick Cox led the Pioneers offense in the fourth with four points. Cox drove the baseline and right down the middle against the Warrior defense.
Adams and Lemons combined for the final seven points for the Warriors and it was not enough to come from behind. WCMS outran the Warriors in Centertown by a final score of 43-19.
Pioneers scoring – Layne Roberts 14, Eli Kuykendall 9, Chance Hunter 8, Keldrick Cox 4, Raleigh Gilliam 4, True Craven 2, Hudson O’Conner 2
Warrior scoring – Blake Adams 10, Nathan Lemons 8, Riley Morton 1