Kokomo guard D.J. Balentine liked what he saw when he took the floor Wednesday night at Memorial Gym.
Balentine liked what he saw on the floor too, scoring a career-high 19 points to lead the Wildkats past Western 83-61 in a traditional pre-Thanksgiving game.
“We came out and saw the student section and we were just pumped. We came out ready to play,” sophomore guard D.J. Balentine said. “The coaching staff had a great game plan, got us ready for the big rivalry.”
Balentine drilled three 3-pointers in the first quarter to help the Kats build a 17-13 advantage. They dominated the middle two quarters to take a 65-42 lead, then cruised to the 83-61 final.
Kokomo coach Brian McCauley gave his squad high marks.
“We had great energy, we played smart and we really played together. We can continue to get more intelligent play, but our effort was very, very good, I’m proud of the guys for that, and our [offensive] balance was very good,” he said.
Kokomo put five scorers in double figures — perimeter players Balentine, T.J. Weir (13 points), Armon Bridgeforth (13) and Brock Barbary (12) and post player Parker Salinas ( 11).
“Sharing the ball — it’s a hard team to defend when you do that. We have good depth too,” Balentine said when asked about the balanced attack.
The squads traded the lead six times in the opening quarter. Balentine’s third 3-pointer of the quarter put the Kats up 13-12 and they played in front the rest of the way.
Kokomo began to extend its lead in the second quarter, going up by 12 when Balentine hit a mid-range jumper at 2:16, but Western cut it back to nine by halftime.
Western scored to open the second half, but Kokomo followed with a 9-0 run for a 44-28 advantage. The Panthers followed with six straight points to make it a 10-point game, but the Kats followed with six straight points of their own to regain control.
“The start of the game, the start to the second half — those are some key periods,” McCauley said. “We made a defensive adjustment at half that helped us out. We also said we needed to pick up our ball movement against Western’s zone and we got some nice ball movement and that opened things up, created more offense for us, then we were able to set our defense.”
Kokomo outscored Western 30-16 in the third quarter. Weir scored nine points to lead the Kats, post player Huston Clark had four points and five rebounds, and Balentine offered the exclamation point with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for a 65-42 lead.
Balentine finished 5 for 10 from 3-point range.
Kokomo’s lead peaked at 27, 74-47, in the fourth quarter.
Kokomo finished with a 43-30 rebounding advantage. Clark, a 6-foot-3 junior, came off the bench to grab a game-high 10 boards to go with six points.
“Huston is one of the most improved players in our program,” McCauley said. “We’ve been pleased with his attitude and effort and he understands his role, and he is playing it well. He gave us a big lift when Cheyse [Swain] and Parker got in foul trouble.”
Matt Reida led Western with 13 points. Drew Larrick followed with 12.
“We got off to a decent start. … I thought fatigue set in during the middle of the second quarter. Some of that is accredited to [the Kats’] athleticism,” Western coach Andy Weaver said.
“We have to learn some things from this game. Offensively, we’re over 50 percent from [inside the 3-point arc] but we’re 3 for 18 from 3. I thought we settled for some quick 3s when we were down, especially in the fourth quarter.”
Weaver also pointed to 12 of 22 free-throw shooting as a disappointment.
Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
BOYS HOOPS: An offensive feast
Kats put five in double figures in whipping Panthers
- Sports
-
-
Fritz, other friends help carry on Gabriel’s vision
Tony Gabriel was an easy pick for the Howard County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a four-sport standout at Taylor High School and later a seven-time state racquetball champion in singles and doubles.
-
Comets making progress
Much like any coach would expect in his first season leading a young team, Eastern baseball coach Nick Sale has helped his team deal with the growing pains that come with regime and philosophy changes.
-
Tipton survives M-G, savors softball sectional 3-peat
It looked like a blowout early and turned into a nail-biter late, but in the end, Friday’s Class 2A Eastern Sectional Softball final between Tipton and No. 3-ranked Madison-Grant turned out the same way as each of the previous two years.
-
Schubert wraps up standout collegiate track career
Megan Schubert could easily lament lost opportunities and think about ‘what if’ scenarios looking back at her track and field career at the University of Louisville.
-
Comets, Kats, Panthers sending athletes to state
After announcing his retirement late last week, Eastern boys track and field coach Paul Nicholson knew Thursday’s Kokomo Regional could be the final meet of his 43-year career. Senior Josiah Price and junior Grant Cole made sure it wasn’t.
-
New Western basketball coach is right at home
Bart Miller’s passion for Western basketball runs deep.
Miller, like his father and brother before him, played for the Panthers. He started and was the third-leading scorer on the Panthers’ 1990 Kokomo Sectional championship squad.
-
Tipton, Madison-Grant reach final of Eastern Sectional
Tipton’s softball team had enough to get past Elwood and into the championship of the Class 2A Eastern Sectional on Wednesday night. Friday night, the Blue Devils will need more to hoist the hardware.
-
Beeler, Hurst pitch Panthers into title game
Western softball pitchers Erika Beeler and Madi Hurst are getting their first meaningful postseason innings in the circle in this year’s Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional, but unknowing spectators would never know.
-
Raiders hold off Wildkats
Kokomo and Harrison each had three hits after two innings of their Class 4A Lafayette Jeff Sectional game on Wednesday in Loeb Stadium.
Control problems for Kokomo starting pitcher Chase Hatfield allowed the Raiders to turn their three hits into four runs and they used those runs to earn a 6-5 win.
-
Benton C. turns back N’western
Northwestern’s baseball team saw an early lead disappear in a 7-5 loss to Benton Central in a Class 3A West Lafayette Sectional game Wednesday.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
