The Baller's Blog: January 2008

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Falcons put away the Blue Devils in WAC showdown

Jan 30, 2008
Defending home

Brevard's Brian Carrington tries to shoot between West Henderson's Dallas Ducote, left, and Buddy Hutchinson during Tuesday night's game at West. MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

By Jeremy Trantham
Times-News Staff Writer

Wearing a Duke University tie given to him over Christmas, West Henderson boys basketball coach Rob Bliss watched his team follow through on a staple of the Blue Devil program: Hit more free throws than your opponent shoots.West Henderson made 23 free throws while visiting Brevard attempted 22 on Tuesday in a 64-57 Western Athletic Conference win for the Falcons."We've been a good foul shooting team most of the year," Bliss said. "We spend a lot of time on that in practice because in tight games it makes a difference."Zach Corliss scored 16 of his game-high 23 points from the foul line as the Falcons (9-9, 3-2 WAC) hit 76 percent (23-of-30) of their free throws. The Brevard Blue Devils (6-10, 1-3) managed just 55 percent (12-of-22)."There was a stretch there where we missed seven or eight in a row," said Brevard coach Tim Trantham. "We aren't a good foul shooting team. The other night against East (Henderson) we were 7-of-23."You work on it everyday. It's something psychological right now."A pair of buzzer-beating 3-pointers at the end of the first and second quarters -- from Chris Barbour and Buddy Hutchinson respectively -- helped West take a seven-point lead into halftime."Anytime you do that, I know it's only three points, but it seems to put people over the edge," said Bliss.Trell Baker's third second-half 3 whittled that lead to one point with 2:30 remaining, but the Devils fouled Corliss for a three-shot foul on the ensuing possession and could get no closer than four points the rest of the way.West's senior guard hit 9-of-11 from the line in the fourth quarter."That's the first guy we told them in a timeout not to foul," Trantham said. "Those little things add up to the difference. The other thing is they annihilated us on the offensive boards."Hutchinson grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go along with 13 points.The Falcons opened the game on fire with a 22-point first quarter just four days after Bliss was disappointed in the team's offensive execution."It was better," Bliss said. "We shot the ball better and we were able to get the ball inside a little more. I thought we were really going to have a good night offensively after the first quarter. You've got to give them credit, Brevard turned up the defense."The pace slowed after a blistering first half. Both teams entered the one-and-one bonus in the latter stages of the third quarter.Baker led Brevard with 13 pints. Brian Carrington and Chad Harris added nine point apiece.The Lady Devils had shooting woes of their own as West came away with a 46-31 win in the opener. After starting the year 0-3 in conference, the Lady Falcons have won two league games in a row.Brevard's girls struggled from the field, missing open shots while Lady Falcons (4-13, 2-3) hit theirs to build a double-digit lead in the third quarter.The Lady Devils (2-14, 0-4) cut the lead to seven with just more than two minutes remaining, but the comeback stalled when freshman guard Shonese Jones (eight points) fouled out.Summer Kremer led West with 10 points. Four Lady Falcons -- Erica Cantrell, Tricia Combs, Joy Brown and Ashley Rogers -- scored eight points or more.Anna Limbo led Brevard with 12 points.Brevard will host North Henderson today. Pisgah will visit West on Friday in a key WAC battle.SummariesBOYS
BREVARD (57) -- Baker 13, Frisbee, Zandecki 9, Miller 2, Essenberg 2, Carrington 9, Smith 3, Erwin 8, Babin 2, Osteen, Harris 9.WEST HENDERSON (64) -- Roberts, James 4, Troutman 2, Corliss 23, Isgett, Barbour 4, Staggs 2, Thomas 6, Hutchinson 13, Ducote 6, Hyatt 4, Williams.Halftime: West, 36-29.GIRLS
BREVARD (31) -- Limbo 12, Lance, Akridge 2, Siniard 2, Hollingsworth, Landreth, Redmond 4, Jones 8, Reid, Owen, Nelson 3, Jacques.WEST HENDERSON (46) -- Kremer 10, Cantrell 8, Turlington, Combs 9, Brown 8, Deeley, Foster, Fennell 3, Rogers 8, Dinardo, Springer.Halftime: West, 17-10.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

West Loses to North

Jan 26, 2008
Defensive efforts lift Knights; McMinn within four of 2,000

North Henderson's Morgan McMinn is caught between West Henderson's Erica Cantrell and Brittany Fennell. MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

By Jeremy Trantham
Times-News Staff Writer

Behind stifling defensive efforts on Friday, two teams North Henderson's boys -- collected their first Western Athletic Conference wins of the season at North's Tom Pryor gymnasium."You start out 0-3 and you want to get that first one -- you don't care who it's against," North coach Skip Taylor said. "That's a pretty big rivalry for us. It's an extremely big win."Chris VanLandingham scored a game-high 35 points and had six assists in a 55-49 Knight (6-10, 1-3 WAC) win.

Two nights after drilling nine 3-pointers to knock off No. 1 Smoky Mountain, the Falcons hit five against North."I'm not surprised at all," said West coach Rob Bliss. "We've done it all year. We can't follow a big win for whatever reason. I felt like the difference in the game was our lack of offensive intensity and execution."Zach Corliss scored 20 points to lead the Falcons while center Dallas Ducote added 11 points and six rebounds."We tried to emphasis guarding Corliss, but he's an awfully good player," Taylor said. "You can't really shut him down."Daniel Hyatt (three points) is one of their not-so-secret weapons. He can really shoot the 3 so we emphasized not letting him get a shot off."VanLandingham managed his 35 points, one below his season average, despite the Falcons sending double teams at him most of the night."You know he's going to shoot it so you try to make somebody else shoot it," Bliss said. "For the most part I thought we did. He went to the line a lot and when you get to go to line, these things happen."North hit 22-of-26 from the line with VanLandingham hitting 16-of-18. Ethan Pressley scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Knights who never trailed after the first quarter.Both schools return to action against Brevard. West will host the Blue Devils on Tuesday. North travels to Brevard on Wednesday.

Summary

WEST HENDERSON (49) -- Roberts, James 5, Troutman 2, Corliss 20, Barbour 4, Staggs, Thomas, Hutchinson 4, Ducote 11, Hyatt 3.NORTH HENDERSON (55) -- Singletary 5, VanLandingham 35, Buckner 4, Pruitt, Searcy, Pressley 11, Lolley, Brown.Halftime: North, 26-23.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

West stuns No. 1 Smoky

West Henderson's Mike James and Smoky Mountain's Jackson Simmons, far right, go after the ball during Wednesday's game at West as Smoky's C.J. Fortner looks on. PATRICK SULLIVAN/TIMES-NEWS

By Jeremy Trantham
Times-News Staff Writer

Exams gave Zach Corliss the opportunity for an extended shootaround prior to West Henderson High School's 46-43 home win over previously unbeaten Smoky Mountain.So when he stepped to the foul line Wednesday for a one-and-one opportunity the senior wasn't nervous. Why would he be? The Falcons were only trailing the top-ranked 2-A team in the state by one point with 37.3 seconds remaining."I was thinking back to those free throws I shot during fourth period saying to myself, 'No need to be nervous,'" Corliss, who scored a team-high 18 points, said. "I'm supposed to make them."Make them he did and when Buddy Hutchinson made a steal and two free throws with 19.8 seconds left all the Falcons needed was one more stop to vault themselves back into the WAC race.West, which played "very well on the defensive end," according to coach Rob Bliss, got the stop to hold on."It's a very big win at this point in the season and it gets us back in the conference race," Bliss said. "The bottom line is that it's a marathon. We've got to make sure this isn't the end."Hutchinson didn't start, as he usually does, for the Falcons (8-8, 2-1 WAC). But the senior sparked West's rally from a 41-34 deficit when his offensive rebound resulted in a three-point play with 4:08 to play."That's an example of what quality kids these are," said Bliss. "I told him he wasn't going to start before the game and he said, 'Coach, I'm good with that. I understand.' I wanted to start Chris (Barbour) to get a little more pressure on their outside shooters."The Falcon pressure was so good that it held the Mustangs (15-1, 3-1) to a season-low point total. Colton Hunt came off the bench to score 18 points but was the lone Smoky Mountain player in double figures.West, meanwhile, hit nine 3-pointers. Corliss and Daniel Hyatt (12 points) hit four apiece."They did a nice job of fronting our post people," said Bliss "Our guards got a little stagnant getting the job inside and part of that was due to Smoky Mountain's ball pressure."Still, Smoky Mountain had a 43-42 lead and the ball with less than a minute to play. Corliss was fouled after rebounding Martin Davis' missed layup and hit two free throws to give West its first lead of the game.Dallas Ducote had six points and nine rebounds for West while helping to hold Mustang post players Cort Smith and Jackson Simmons to 11 points combined.The hot outside shooting was reminiscent of West's other upset win -- at T.C. Roberson -- of the season."We know we can play with anybody on a night when we play well," Corliss said.After taking down the No. 1 2-A team in the state, West will try to slow the state's leading scorer, Chris VanLandingham, on Friday at North Henderson.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN (43) -- Hunt 18, Davis 5, Brown 4, Fortner 4, Couley, Frazier, Smith 3, Simmons 8.WEST HENDERSON (46) -- Roberts, James, Corliss 18, Barbour, Staggs, Thomas 3, Hutchinson 7, Ducote 6, Hyatt 12.Halftime: Smoky, 24-18.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

West boys stun top-ranked Smoky Mountain on Sophomore Guard Roberts' Birthday!

Jan 23, 2008 - Happy Birthday Matter - I added to the headline a bit!

West boys stun top-ranked Smoky Mountain

West Henderson's Zach Corliss drives in for a layup during Wednesday's game against Smoky Mountain at West. PATRICK SULLIVAN/ TIMES-NEWS

The Falcons hand the Mustangs their first loss of the season.

Times-News Online

In a make-up game due to an ice storm in Sylva on Tuesday, West Henderson's boys basketball team handed the top-ranked Mustangs their first loss of the season on Wednesday night by a score of 46-43.The Falcons' upset snapped Smoky Mountain's 15-game winning streak and dropped the Mustangs to 15-1. West improves to 8-8.

For more on this story see Thursday's edition of the Times-News.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

alcons pick up their first WAC win of the season; Lady Eagles edge West in thriller

Jan 19, 2008
Rivalry Friday

West Henderson's Kevin Thomas tries to get around East Henderson's Chris McClure. MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

EAST FLAT ROCK -- West Henderson High School boys basketball coach Rob Bliss felt Friday's game was a must win. Four Falcons scored in double figures, led by 19 from senior Zach Corliss, in a 59-49 victory at rival East Henderson. The win puts West (7-8, 1-1 WAC) at .500 in the league.

By Jeremy Trantham
Times-News Staff Writer

EAST FLAT ROCK -- West Henderson High School boys basketball coach Rob Bliss felt Friday's game was a must win. Four Falcons scored in double figures, led by 19 from senior Zach Corliss, in a 59-49 victory at rival East Henderson. The win puts West (7-8, 1-1 WAC) at .500 in the league."We've been on a rollercoaster most of the season," Bliss said. "We challenged the kids to make a decision which way we were going to go. East was 1-1 in the league with a win over North. We came in 0-1 in the conference and felt like this was a game we had to have."The Falcons responded to Bliss' challenge early, building a 23-11 lead with three minutes to play in the second quarter. East's Nathan Roberts canned three 3-pointers before halftime to keep the Eagles close."We were lucky to be in the game in the first half," East coach John Johnston said. "At the same time I don't think our posts touched the ball more than two times all night. We've got to find a better balance between our posts and the perimeter to be successful.""I told the kids at halftime, we defended well, had only four turnovers and rebounded well," said Bliss. "They just shot the lights out of it."West had no problems with balancing its attack. Daniel Hyatt scored 12 points, Buddy Hutchinson had 11 and Dallas Ducote added 10."We did a good job of making the extra pass. That's where we've run into trouble against pressure. We were too concerned with getting the ball back in Zach's hands I think. We worked real hard the last week on trusting yourself and trusting your teammates."Roberts (19 points) hit his sixth 3 of the game to cut West's lead to three with 4:31 to play. West responded with a 6-0 run over the next three minutes to pull away."Bottom line: Us and West are very similar except for a few different parts," Johnstson said. "We knew tonight was going to be about execution and they executed a few more times than we did."Michael Robinson scored 14 points for East before fouling out with 2:35 to play, leaving the Eagles without their point guard. The Eagles fall to 4-11 and 1-2 in the WAC.In the opening girls game, Krysti Fisher helped the Lady Eagles collect their first conference win of the season, 42-39 in overtime.Behind intense pressure defense keyed by Joy Brown, the Lady Falcons came back from a six-point fourth-quarter deficit. Brown hit a pair of free throws to give West a 34-31 lead with under nine seconds to play. Fisher got the ball, pulled up from the top of the key and canned a 3 to send the game to overtime."That was just get it down court, get a 3. I'd like to say I (drew up the play), but that was all them," said East coach Katie Easler. "They're a great group of girls."Brown's bucket with 1:53 remaining in overtime gave her team a 39-37 lead, but it would prove to be West's last basket of the game. Terran McCrary's layup with 50 seconds remaining gave East (4-12, 1-2) the lead for good."(Brown) had had great pressure on the ball and pressure is one of our problems," Easler said. "We did a better job at the end. We came down and ran our plays pretty well."Fisher led East with 17 points while Jessica Case (10 points, 10 rebounds) collected a double-double. Brown scored eight of her team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter for West (2-12, 0-2).West will host Smoky Mountain on Tuesday while East will travel to Pisgah.SummariesBOYS
WEST HENDERSON (59) -- Roberts 2, Thelan, James 4, Troutman, Corliss 19, Isgett, Barbour, Staggs, Thomas, Hutchinson 11, Ducote 10, Hyatt 12.EAST HENDERSON (49) -- Dorn, Hill 9, Roberts 19, Justus 2, Robinson 14, McClure 2, Whiteside 1, Ford 2, Dermitt.Halftime: West, 30-25.GIRLS
WEST HENDERSON (39) -- Kremer 4, Cantrell 2, Turlington 2, Combs 4, Brown 12, Fennell 5, Rogers 5, Dinardo, Springer.EAST HENDERSON (42) -- Crook 8, Fisher 17, McCrary 5, Idres 2, Johnson, Case 10, Kitchen.Halftime: West, 16-15.

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