BUNKER HILL — Sometimes, the hardest games to win are the ones you’re expected to win.
The Kokomo Wildkats had no problems with those expectations here Friday night as they ran past outmanned Maconaquah, 76-55 in the regular season finale for both teams.
The Wildkats never trailed, sprinting to a 9-0 lead out of the gate. The Kats were up 22-9 after a quarter, 40-21 at intermission, and hit their high-water mark early in the fourth period at 68-36.
Kokomo accomplished what it set out to do. First, the Kats won, lifting their record to 13-7, their best regular season mark since 2002-03. Second, Kokomo played with intensity and focus in a game that they might easily have overlooked. And third, Wildkat fans got a glimpse of the future as freshman guard D.J. Balentine earned game scoring honors with a career-high 17 points off the bench. He nailed his first three shots, all from behind the arc.
Despite the score, the 5-15 Braves never quit, and battled Kokomo to the buzzer. Mac managed to play the Kats almost even in the second half, thanks to some hot shooting by senior guard Brennan Dexter and junior wing Curtis Hyde. The pair combined for 22 points after the break, and the Braves were able to cut a 32-point Kokomo lead to 20.
Kokomo coach Brian McCauley was pleased with his team’s strong start.
“I thought we came out with good intensity and good effort,” he said, “and that’s important when you’re playing on the road. No matter where you’re playing, when you’re on the road you’ve got to bring your own energy. You’ve got to bring your own effort because you’re not going to draw it from the familiarity of the gym and you’re not going to draw it from a large [home] crowd.
“So I thought our guys came out with focus and energy and really got off to a good start,” he added. “[It was] 22-9 at the end of the first — that really set the tone.”
Despite the outcome, Maconaquah coach Luke Zartman found some bright spots in his team’s performance.
“I thought we came out and executed the game plan very well,” he noted. “We got some great looks in the first quarter. Unfortunately, the shots didn’t fall. But I thought the effort was there, the execution was there, and for as good a team as Kokomo is, to just be able to hang close with them for a while was a tremendous accomplishment.”
Although Kokomo pressed and trapped, the Braves committed just 10 turnovers for the game. But Mac just didn’t have the manpower to contain the Kats, especially inside, where Kokomo dominated the boards, 33-22, and outscored the Braves 14-4 on second chance points.
One key for the Wildkats was their unselfish play. Kokomo notched 16 assists in the game, led by senior center Patrick Hopkins’ five.
“When you have 16 assists in a basketball game,” McCauley said, “you have good ball distribution. Guys were finding one another, they were willing to penetrate and kick, and they were willing to make the extra pass. We had good ball movement for the most part. When you do that, you’re harder to guard. It’s fun basketball to watch and it’s fun to play.”
Senior guard Alan Arnett scored 10 points and was the only Kat besides Balentine to reach double figures. However, Brock Barbary scored nine, and T.J. Weir, Tyrone Brown, and Hopkins each added eight. Hopkins and Brown led the Kats with five rebounds each.
Dexter led the Braves with 15 points, including 12 in the second half, while Hyde added 14 and Nick George 10. Brad Carver took game rebounding honors with seven.
Sports
HOOPS: Wildkats finish the job
- Sports
-
-
Eastern netters fall to defending state champions
Carmel’s girls tennis team lived up to its billing Tuesday in the Kokomo Regional semifinal round.
-
Hursh silences Comets
Eastern softball coach Jerry Haines looked out to an empty field after his squad lost 1-0 to Tipton on Tuesday night in the first round of the Class 2A Eastern Sectional and made an observation that may as well have been a warning.
-
Eastern’s girls track, tennis set for regional action today
Eastern ranks No. 4 among the five Howard County high schools in enrollment — but it is clearly No. 1 when it comes to 2012 girls spring sports.
-
Local softball squads eye demanding sectionals
In any sport, the postseason is a proving ground.
This week in Greentown, whomever emerges from the proving ground of the Class 2A Eastern Softball Sectional will be legit. No questions asked.
-
Bacon sizzles on Kokomo dirt track
One word to describe the racing action Sunday night at the Kokomo Speedway is, Wow.
-
Western, NW, tackle sectional
The IHSAA state softball tournament opens today and very quickly, the contenders will rise to the surface.
Western surfaced and flourished in last year’s postseason. The Panthers won the Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional, then captured regional hardware the following week.
-
Chevrolet power dominates Pole Day
It has been seven years since a Chevrolet power plant has been in competition at the Indianapolis 500, but the “bowtie” brand made its return memorable by taking the top eight spots during Saturday qualifying.
-
Eastern beats Kokomo to repeat as tennis sectional champion
Eastern nearly swept the court clean against Kokomo in Friday’s local girls tennis sectional final, taking the first three points of the afternoon on the way to a 4-1 win on the Wildkats’ courts.
-
Former Lady Kat great Hendrix is moving up
Kokomo’s DeUnna Hendrix is the new women’s basketball coach at High Point University, an NCAA Division I school and a member of the Big South Conference. High Point is located in North Carolina.
-
Kokomo withstands Eastern’s challenge to win boys track sectional
Heading into Thursday’s IHSAA boys track and field sectional at Kokomo’s Walter Cross Field, Eastern appeared to have the depth to strongly challenge the host Wildkats as they attempted to chase down their third straight sectional title.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Eastern netters fall to defending state champions
HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior
Parents Skeptical of FAMU Hazing Probe Statement
Md. 911 Dispatcher Caught Sleeping on Job
Raw Video: Toddler Trapped in Washing Machine
Iowa Man With Zebra, Parrot in Truck Gets DUI
Egyptians Pick New President in Free Election
Secret Service Boss: 'I Apologize'
Giant Bull Head Draws Drivers to South Dakota
Astrodome Fades As Houston Decides Fate
Franciscan Files Tell Stories of Priest Abuse
Wildfire Destroys 2 Homes
Flight Diverted After Suspicious Note
Joplin Remembers Deadly Tornado, 1 Year Later
Panel Recommends Against Routine Prostate Test
Fired Lingerie Employee Claims Discrimination
Facebook Shares Continue Negative Slide
Cuba Waiting for Cyber Age to Come
8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff
Sheriff: DNA Links Suspect to Missing CA Teen
