JV boys continue to dazzle

Published 12:08 pm Monday, December 23, 2024

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By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

Davie’s JV boys basketball team didn’t dazzle in the first quarter against visiting Alexander Central, an opponent that Davie blistered by 43 points three weeks earlier.
But the War Eagles looked terrific from the second quarter on and continued their undefeated roll, 66-38, on Dec. 17.
Davie was down 16-12 at the end of the first. Central’s momentum was short-lived, though. Buckets from Draeton Nance, Aiden Horton, Noah Dulin, William Martin, Ian Patton and Cam Knox produced a 20-4 run in the second. In the third, Davie extended a 32-20 lead to 51-29 as Justin Haggler, Knox and Martin provided offense.
“They had a good game plan,” coach Brandon Thalasinos said. “They gave us a triangle-and-two (on Nance and Dulin) and we did not expect that. But with that being said, we definitely came out sluggish.
“Between quarters we drew it up on the sideline a way to attack the triangle-and-two. We said: ‘Our two front sets will still work against this. Just because we haven’t seen it, don’t panic.’ We talked about feeding the low post and feeding the corners to break them out of that. And then we were able to go back to applying pressure and do what we do best.”
Horton (15 points), Martin (12) and Nance (11) led a balanced attack as Davie (8-0) posted its fifth victory by 21-plus margins. Martin got his season-high total by converting 6 of 8 field goals.
“(Martin) as always been a big rebounder, defensive guy,” Thalasinos said. “He’s a guy who will do the dirty stuff for you, fight for boards, all those things. We don’t look for him to have to be a scorer, but he was fighting down low.”
Knox and Dulin had eight each. Haggler had six. Patton had two points, six rebounds and two steals. This was the second straight energetic effort from Knox.
“Cam’s been my sixth man; him and Jayce Bentley switch in and out of that role,” he said. “Cam brings a spark off the bench. He’s an up-tempo, fly-all-over-the-court kind of guy. He was creating turnovers and getting transition points. He was driving in the lane.”
While the War Eagles’ average margin of victory is 25, Thalasinos is taking nothing for granted.
“Yes, we are 8-0, but we can’t afford to keep getting off to slow starts because a team in the CPC is going to make us pay for it,” he said.
Davie 66, Alexander Central 38 – Aiden Horton 15, William Martin 12, Draeton Nance 11, Cam Knox 8, Noah Dulin 8, Justin Haggler 6, Ian Patton 2, Weston Barefoot 2, Paxton Lewis 2..