Brady Saunders’ large 2nd half sparks Brewer basketball’s win over Hampden
It might have been the primary half of basketball all season that Brewer’s boys basketball star Brady Saunders was held scoreless, however within the second half towards Hampden Academy, Saunders took over.
The senior scored 10 factors within the third quarter and eight extra within the fourth to place away the Broncos in a 52-38 win on Tuesday night time.
After back-to-back time beyond regulation victories, the Witches stayed undefeated on Tuesday and moved to 12-0 on the season. Hampden fell to 5-7 with the loss.
Hampden arrange its protection in a triangle-and-two protection the place Aiden Kochendoerfer face-guarded Saunders and Zach McLaughlin adopted Brewer’s Brock Flagg intently, whereas the opposite three Broncos defenders roamed the center of the ground in a triangle-type form. This protection proved robust over the primary two quarters as Saunders was scoreless and Flagg, usually considered one of Brewer’s high scorers, completed the primary two frames with 4 factors.
On offense, McLaughlin, who entered the sport averaging greater than 21 factors per sport, scored 14 of the Broncos’ 19 factors. JJ Wolfington had the opposite 5 for Hampden because the Witches trailed 19-18 on the half.
Brewer was stored afloat by ahead Ryder Goodwin, who scored eight factors within the second quarter and stored the Witches within the sport.
“It’s large to have guys that may all step up and rating,” Brewer coach Ben Goodwin stated. “They took away two of them and Ryder had an enormous sport. Anybody can have a giant night time and so they’re all pleased once we win.”
Brewer made some changes at halftime that received Saunders the ball and in higher areas to get open pictures.
“I feel we made some changes however our largest factor was we simply let him run our offense,” Goodwin stated. “We wanted to get him extra touches so within the second half we simply ran our offense and we received the seems we needed.”
Hampden additionally modified up its protection.
“Going into the locker room I used to be like, ‘Man, that is going to be an extended sport,’” Saunders stated. “Then I got here out and so they have been in man and I used to be the happiest child on this planet. I used to be capable of make some pictures.”
Saunders instantly grabbed an offensive rebound at first of the third and went up for a layup earlier than getting fouled. Saunders sank each free throws, then a pair possessions later hit a 3-pointer on the high of the arc that gave Brewer a 23-19 lead simply 1:25 into the second half.
Goodwin added 4 extra factors within the third interval and completed with 16.
McLaughlin was held to simply two free throws within the third quarter as Saunders stepped up his man-to-man protection on Hampden’s high-scoring junior. McLaughlin completed the sport with 23 to steer all scorers.
Brewer took a 32-25 lead into the fourth quarter and, within the last quarter, shot 13-of-14 from the free throw line to maintain Hampden at bay, together with an ideal 8-for-8 from Saunders.
“We follow free throws every single day in follow and we shoot most likely 100 a day,” Saunders stated.
For Hampden coach Russ Bartlett, he knew it was a matter of time earlier than Saunders discovered his shot.
“Brady goes to seek out methods to attain and on the finish he received to the foul line and completed it out,” Bartlett stated. “I feel he’ll be a finalist for Mr. Basketball, he’s that good. I didn’t understand he was scoreless however he’s a extremely good nearer.”
Wolfington completed the sport with 15 factors.
Bartlett stated Hampden has performed two video games in “virtually 20 days” and that the Broncos “simply have to play some video games” earlier than the Class AA basketball event.
“I believed we had some sport rust however we defended properly, which stored us in it,” Bartlett added.
