A strong first half helped the Warrenton Warriors to a 19-point home win over North Point Tuesday.
Warrenton (4-3) outscored North Point by 14 points in the first quarter in their 54-35 win. …
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A strong first half helped the Warrenton Warriors to a 19-point home win over North Point Tuesday.
Warrenton (4-3) outscored North Point by 14 points in the first quarter in their 54-35 win. They started the game on an 8-0 run and led 19-5 after one quarter.
“We transitioned well, which is what we’ve been trying to do,” Warrenton boys basketball coach Mark Thomas said. “We talk about pushing the ball, playing together and doing it together on defense. I think they’re doing a good job of going after the rebounds and outletting. And then just trying to get up the floor in transition.”
Warrenton built the lead on a three-pointer by Mason Thompson, a three-point play by Deadrick Forrest and a layup by Tyler Oliver. After North Point got on the board to make the score 8-2, junior Troy Anderson scored the next seven Warrenton points to give the Warriors a 15-5 lead.
Warrenton outscored North Point 13-6 in the second quarter to take a 32-11 lead into the half.
The Warriors led by as many as 25 points in the second half before North Point cut into the deficit later in the half. Thomas believes the Warriors got complacent in the second half.
“I think we took some steps back tonight in the second half,” Thomas said. “I think we got complacent with what the score was at half. And that’s what I told the guys in there. We’ve got to continue to work so we’re ready for the next game.”
The Warriors have played all but one game this season without Kannon Hibbs due to an injury. Hibbs scored 16 points for the Warriors in the season opener against Wright City. With Hibbs sidelined, Thomas said the Warriors are counting on Oliver and Maison Rader to do the bulk of the lifting in the rebounding department.
Oliver had a strong game in the post Tuesday, leading Warrenton with 18 points. Thomas believes Oliver has done a good job lately of being assertive in the post.
“If we can get the ball into him and then play inside out whenever they double down, that’ll make us better,” Thomas said.
Anderson and Thompson also reached double figures in the win. Anderson scored 13 points. Thompson added 10 points for the Warriors.
The win over the Grizzlies was Warrenton’s second consecutive win. Warrenton beat Union 69-65 Friday.
Thomas believes the Warriors’ defensive intensity has improved over the first few weeks of the season. He also thinks they are getting more comfortable playing basketball together and not relying on the offense to give them an open look.
“That’s kind of a junior high mentality. Coach gave me this play. This is what I run,” Thomas said. “So we’re trying to get them to play basketball too out of our offense. And I think we’ve done a much better job of that. And I think the majority of it comes from their attention to detail on rebounding. When we go secure the basketball, then we can get it outletted. We’re pretty dangerous in transition.”
Warrenton is scheduled to play at Francis Howell Central at 6:30 p.m. Friday. They will host St. Clair at 7 p.m. Monday.
