TJ won the Paul Davis Classic 54-50 over Arvada West Saturday night.
Photo by Lauren Abrams
The TJ Boys’ Hoop Squad improved their record to 4-3 Saturday night, as they defeated the Arvada West Wildcats by a score of 54-50. The Spartans opened the game by trading baskets with the Wildcats, and they trailed 12-10 at the end of the first period. However, the Spartans picked up their intensity and defense as they were able to disrupt the flow of the Wildcat offense and create steals and blocks.
The Spartans also had a season high number of blocks with 11 total in the game. “We ran a 3-2 zone which meant that we had guys waiting at the basket. That lead to a lot more blocked shots,” said Head Coach Grant Laman. Going into the halftime, the Spartans led 27-18.
Unlike previous games, the Spartans were able to put the game away late as they sunk critical free throws. “That definitely builds our confidence,” Spartan Senior Guard Deontae Fair said. “Most games this season we play hard in the first half, but in the second half come out thinking, ‘…oh, we got this in the bag,’” Fair continued.
The boys were lead offensively by Seniors Ray Riley and Fair who finished with 14 and 13 points respectively. The Spartans will look to build on this win as they take on a tough Bear Creek team on Tuesday, December 15. The game will be held at Bear Creek and will begin at 7:00 pm.
