By Peter DiGiovanni
pdgiovanni07@gmail.com
CALN >> The Coatesville High School boys basketball team put on a defensive clinic and avenged a loss earlier this season, as the host Red Raiders downed West Chester Henderson, 61-44, Tuesday night at Ross Kershey Gymnasium.
The emphatic win puts the Red Raiders one full game up on the Warriors in the Ches-Mont National Division with two league games left.
Coatesville (9-1 Ches-Mont, 13-5, overall) put four players in double figures with Amon Fowlkes leading the Red Raiders with 12 points while Dior Kennedy added 11 as did Marquis Peoples.
“We just came out with a lot more energy than we did the first time we played them,” Kennedy said. “The last time was their home court but now they had to come to our building and we were going to protect that. Our coaches always stress defense and we locked them up tonight. We speed teams up and then turn them over and score in transition. Our defense keys our offense and that is what happened tonight.”
Coatesville outscored the Warriors (8-2, 17-3) in the second period 20-12 to take a 32-26 lead going into halftime. The Red Raiders defense forced the Warriors into shooting just 15-for-49 from the field for the game and Henderson turned the ball over 17 times in the contest.
Holding a six point lead at intermission, the Red Raiders came flying out on the floor for the third period. Kennedy got things started with a jumper to make it a 34-26 game. After a Warriors turnover, Zuri Harris drained a three-ball to make it a 37-26 Coatesville advantage.
The Warriors attempted to get back in the game on two nice inside baskets from big man Nelson Lamizana to cut the Red Raiders lead to 40-32 midway through the third period. Lamizana, along with Nyle Ralph-Beyer, led the Warriors with 15 points apiece.
With the lead down to eight points, the Red Raiders went on a 9-0 run to open up the game and take a 49-32 lead. Harris and Kennedy scored baskets in transition and Fowlkes also scored on a runout and at the end of three periods, Coatesville was firmly in command with a 51-36 lead.
The Red Raiders outscored the Warriors 19-10 in the third period to take control of the game. Coatesville shot 6-for-10 from the field in the decisive third period. The Warriors shot just 3-for-11 from the field in the third period and turned the ball over five times in the frame.
The fourth period saw the Red Raiders spread the floor and make the Warriors gamble on defense. but, the Warriors shot just 1-for-10 from the field in the fourth period and could never get really close to coming back on the Red Raiders.
“We really played great defense tonight,” Red Raiders coach John Allen said. “And we did not have Larry Brown who is one of the best defenders in the league. The kids played with a lot of energy and I am very proud of them. When you looked at the schedule you saw we play each other two times and we both know each other well. So, to get a split tonight is a good thing. But, we have higher ambitions and we are playing very good basketball right now.”
The Warriors lost for only the third time this season.
“Give Coatesville credit,” said Henderson coach Jason Ritter. “They took the ball out of Connor Fleet’s hands and forced other guys to make plays and that did not happen. Coatesville played really well tonight.”
Coatesville 61, West Chester Henderson 44
WC HENDERSON (44) Lamizana 6 3-4 15, Ralph-Beyer 5 3-4 15, Bell 1 0-0 2, Delucia 0 0-0 0, Kearney 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0, Fleet 3 4-4 11, Ranalli 0 1-2 1. Totals 15 11-14 44.
COATESVILLE (61) Harris 3 3-4 10, Kennedy 4 3-4 11, Peoples 4 1-2 11, Shockley 1 4-7 6, Miles 3 0-0 7, W.Fowlkes 1 2-2 4, A.Fowlkes 3 5-7 12, Van Orden 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 18-26 61.
WC Henderson 14 12 10 8 – 44
Coatesville 12 20 19 10 – 61
3-point goals: Ralph-Beyer 2, Fleet, Harris, Peoples 2, Miles, A.Fowlkes
