McConnellsburg blasts CVCS in rematch

January 08, 2008|By DAN KAUFFMAN

McCONNELLSBURG, Pa. - After the Cumberland Valley Christian boys basketball team defeated McConnellsburg 50-44 at CVCS on Dec. 18, most people expected the rematch at McConnellsburg to be close on Monday.

The Spartans had other ideas.

Hunter Homistek nailed four first-half 3-pointers, McConnellsburg made nine 3s overall and the Blazers were ice cold on offense as the Spartans raced to a 30-13 halftime lead and cruised to a 59-36 victory.

Homistek made two 3s in the final minutes of the first quarter, and hit his other two in the early stages of the second quarter as McConnellsburg (9-4) took control.

"When I get in a groove, I just keep firing away," Homistek said. "The last couple of games, I think I was 1-for-10, so tonight was good. ... Up at their place, we got too cocky. We were up 11 in the first quarter and let them come back. We learned not to let them back in it."

"That's his best shot," Spartans coach Denny Pollock said of Homistek's 3-point range. "Until we started the new year, he was 24-for-49 or something like that."

Russell Glazier hit a pair of 3s and scored on a handful of other drives to the basket, finishing with a game-high 16 points. But he injured his ankle on one last drive to the basket in the second half and could not put any weight on it as he was helped to the bench.

Ryan Defibaugh hit a pair of 3s in the second half as McConnellsburg's lead remained in double digits until the final buzzer. The Spartans made 20 of 41 shots, and the nine 3s helped overcome a 10-for-22 night at the foul line.

CVCS (8-4) made just 15 of 53 shots and 4 of 10 free throws. Charles McBeth led the Blazers with 13 points and Scott Levy had nine, including two 3s.

"Our defense was so much better," Pollock said. "We have to bring the defensive effort every night. We played a good zone and they didn't hit much from outside. We doubled down inside and they didn't get a lot of looks there, either."

"We just mentally didn't show up tonight," CVCS coach Tony Kuhn said. "It was like we were sleepwalking. There was no pushing the ball up the court, and there was no getting out on their shooters. We had zero defense and just did not execute."

|

|

|