Basketball

Central clamps down on Tyrone offense in league win

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

TYRONE -- Solid defensive play provides a winning foundation for a basketball team at any level of competition, and the Central Scarlet Dragons are enjoying marked success in the first half of this season because of their ability to keep down scoring totals by their opponents.

A case in point occurred Wednesday night at the Tyrone Area Senior High School gymnasium, where Central limited a potent Tyrone offense that had been averaging over 72 points per game in its first eight games to just 35 in a 46-35 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference victory for the Scarlet Dragons.

Senior forward Hunter Smith and junior forward Eli Muthler scored 17 points apiece for Central, which improved to 8-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play. But it was the Scarlet Dragons' play on defense that dictated the tempo of Wednesday's game.

"Our kids on the defensive end are all guts right now,'' Central coach Paul Frederick said. "I thought we did a great job on defense in limiting a really good Tyrone team which has averaged over 70 points a game this season.

"Playing defense has kind of always been our thing at Central - through the coaching years of Reggie Nevins and Bill Forshey, and up to now,'' Frederick added. "We know that we have to play well on defense, and so far this season, we have done that. And that's why we are where we are at right now.''

Tyrone dropped to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the conference.

"Defensively, they do a great job and they get to where they are supposed to be on the floor,'' Tyrone coach Luke Rhoades said of the Scarlet Dragons. "We've spoken to our guys about how Central plays defense, and that if we can get close to that on defense, we will have an outstanding defense.''

Tyrone took a 14-13 lead early in the second quarter when sophomore Eli Woomer scored off a feed from junior Ashton Walk, but Central reeled off the next 10 points to go up, 23-14, at halftime, and the Scarlet Dragons never looked back.

Smith started the run with an inside bucket, was fouled on the play, and converted the free throw to complete the 3-point sequence and give Central a 16-14 lead.

Another inside bucket by Smith, followed by a driving layup from senior Nick Garver off a Smith feed, two free throws from Muthler, and another free throw by senior Troy Butler after he had made a steal, completed the Scarlet Dragons' surge.

Both Smith and Muthler agreed that Central's defensive play was pivotal.

"Defense won the game for us,'' Muthler said. "Tyrone is a very high-scoring team that can put the ball in the basket, and we were able to hold them to 35 points. This was a great game for us.''

Smith, who had a game-high 11 rebounds while Muthler grabbed nine, said that the Scarlet Dragons have been focusing on playing excellent defense.

"It's kind of our motto right now - our effort on that side of the ball is something that we can control, and we shut them down on the defensive side of the ball tonight,'' Smith said.

Sparked by Smith's four third-quarter field goals, Central built a 34-23 lead after three stops, and the Scarlet Dragons expanded their advantage to 16 points, 39-23, on Muthler's 3-pointer from the left side early in the fourth quarter.

Tyrone, which was led by Walk's 11 points, scored the next seven points on a 3-point play and field goal by Walk, and another field goal by senior Dravyn Crowell, to close to within 39-30, before Central turned on the afterburners again and reeled off seven straight points to go ahead, 46-30, and put the game out of reach.

Garver's 3-pointer from the right corner started the spurt for Central, which also got two field goals from Muthler on a fast-break layup off an inbounds pass, followed by a putback.

"They started to make some shots, like a good team does, but we fought back and found a way to put the ball in the basket again,'' Muthler said of the fourth-quarter exchange.

Central converted 19 of 45 floor shots for a 42.2 percent clip, while Tyrone made just 12 of 40 shots for 30 percent.

"They got to every loose ball, every hustle ball, and we just couldn't put the ball in the hoop tonight,'' Rhoades said. "It was a little smaller than I wanted it to be.''

That was due largely to Central's air-tight defensive play.

"All of our kids on defense did a good job of holding (Tyrone) to one shot,'' Frederick said. "I'm really proud of our effort tonight.''

Game notes: Central carved out a 35-20 rebounding edge over Tyrone, with junior Kendall Lehner's seven rebounds leading the Golden Eagles, who visit Penn Cambria in a conference game Friday night. Central travels to Bishop McCort for a conference game the same night.

CENTRAL (46): Muthler 7 2-2 17, H. Smith 8 1-1 17, Albright 0 0-0 0, Garver 2 0-0 5, Long-Yarrison 1 0-0 3, Bettwy 1 1-1 3, Butler 0 1-2 1. Totals - 19 5-6 46.

TYRONE (35): Lehner 3 0-0 7, Walk 4 1-3 11, Crilly 1 0-0 3, Crowell 2 0-0 5, Woomer 2 2-2 7, Ronan 0 0-0 0, A. Escala 0 2-2 2. Totals - 12 5-6 35.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Central 13 10 11 12 -- 46

Tyrone 7 5 9 12 -- 35

3-point goals: Central 3 (Muthler, Garver, Long-Yarrison); Tyrone 6 (Walk 2, Lehner, Crilly, Crowell, Woomer).

Records: Central (8-2 overall, 5-1 in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference); Tyrone (6-3, 4-2).

Officials: Joe Scialabba, Bill Musser, Tracy Cornelius.

JV: Tyrone, 47-40. High scorers--Christian Heuston, C, 16; Damon Bruggert and Owen Oakes, T, 13 apiece.