LOGGER BOYS LOCK UP SECOND
The Knappa Loggers built a huge first-half lead, then held on to the finish in a 57-47 victory over the visiting De La Salle Kngihts Friday.
Brian Riffe scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter as the Loggers shot to a 25-9 lead. The Knights would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as Knappa secured a second place finish and a home playoff game on Tuesday.
Knappa will take on Portland Lutheran at home Tuesday night for the right to face league champion Portland Christian for the top district seed to state. The winner will play the Royals at Milwaukie High School Saturday night in the final game of a playoff quadrupleheader at 8:00 p.m. If Knappa should lose to PLS Tuesday, the Loggers would still have a shot at the third seed and would play the winner of a Tuesday playoff between De La Salle and Nestucca.
The Knights were playing their second game without talented 6-0 junior guard Amanuel Lemo, who was suspended for grades. Even his presence on the floor likely would have little impact on Knappa's smoking start to the game.
After the Loggers missed their first three shots, Knappa hit six of their next seven and ten of the next twelve shots from the field. Brian Riffe canned three 3-pointers, two of which were set up by kick-out passes by Ryan Isom, who has been the Loggers long bomber all season and is one of the state's top long range shooters.
Isom was held scoreless in the game, the first time the senior guard has been blanked since the final reguar season game at Warrenton last year, but produced five assists in the first quarter. Isom's twin brother Paul, Knappa's point guard, picked up the slack with eight points in the quarter, finishing in the paint while Riffe extended the defense.
"We made some nice reads in transition offensively," said Loggers head coach Craig Cokley. "We had a nice flow."
Knappa continued its strong start early in the second period, going up 34-14 on a Jesse Moreland basket. The Knights would respond with a defensive switch and an 11-0 run, forcing a Knappa time out as the lead was sliced in half in a span of two minutes.
"Their zone gave us a little bit of trouble," said Cokley of the primarily man-to-man Knights. "They move well in their zone and they cover the perimeter."
"They really keyed on Ryan."
Out of the time out, Moreland was fouled and hit both free throws ending the run. Baskets by Paul Isom and Moreland closed the half with Knappa leading 40-27.
De La Salle would again cut the lead to seven points as wing guard Luke Leonard hit one out of two free throws to make it a 44-37 game with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Freshman post Robert Auger (pronounced ro-BARE o-JAY) scored seven points in a 10-2 Knights run early in the period and would finish with 19 points.
Both teams would go through a two-and-a-half minute scoreless drought before Ryan Isom fed Nate West underneath for a Knappa basket. West hit a pair of free throws to put the Loggers up 51-39 entering the final period.
In the fourth quarter, backup guard Jonathan Hardy picked Paul Isom's pocket in backcourt and the resulting layup made it a 53-43 game. After Isom was called for travelling, Auger scored to cut the lead to eight once again with more than five minutes left in the game.
Baskets by Paul Isom and Moreland put the Loggers back up by 12 with 3:35 left and Knappa went into its "Cuts" delay game at about the 2:30 mark, leading 57-47. A miscommunication on a perimeter pass saw the ball sail out of bounds untouched, giving De La Salle the ball with 2:25 left. The Knights were unable to capitalize as Donta Harris missed a shot and Moreland secured the rebound.
With only three team fouls on the board, the Knights committed two fouls, but did not continue to foul. The Loggers ran more time off before Riffe drove in the lane and missed. Leonard missed a three on the other end and Bruce Farrell's rebound putback attempt was blocked by Moreland with Riffe controlling the rebound.
Another De La Salle foul stopped the clock with :42 left, but the Knights threw up the white flag and allowed Knappa to run out the clock.
Along with Riffe's hot early shooting, the 5-9 senior wing did a standout defensive job on Farrell, holding one of the league's most dangerous scorers to seven points in the game. Farrell attempted just two shots in the first half as the Loggers played a box-and-one defense. Auger had nine rebounds and two steals for the Knights.
"Riffe was huge," said Cokley. "He actually is a prety good perimeter shooter. His unorthodox style belies the fact that he is a good perimeter shooter, especially from three."
"I couldn't be happier with the way he's developed his game this year."
Five Loggers scored in the game as both teams used just seven players. Jesse Moreland recorded a double-double with 14 points, ten rebounds and five blocked shots. Paul Isom scored one off his career high with 12 points. Steven Bokor had seven rebounds for the Loggers.
Tuesday's playoff game against Portland Lutheran will be broadcast live on SportsRadio 1230 ESPN following the Portland Blazers game at Miami.
DE LA SALLE 9 18 12 8 -- 47
Farrell 7, Dom. Harris 2, Leongard 8, Auger 19, Don. Harris 7, Fuqua 2, Hardy 2.
KNAPPA 25 15 11 6 -- 57
R. Isom, P. Isom 12, Moreland 14, Aho 8, Bokor, Riffe 19, West 4.
FIELD GOALS-DLS: 20-64-31%, KNA: 23-57-40%
3-PT FG'S-DLS: 2-16-13%, KNA: 4-17-24%
FREE THROWS-DLS: 5-8-63%, KNA: 7-10-70%
REBOUNDS-DLS: 33, KNA: 39
TURNOVERS-DLS: 8, KNA: 13
Brian Riffe scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter as the Loggers shot to a 25-9 lead. The Knights would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as Knappa secured a second place finish and a home playoff game on Tuesday.
Knappa will take on Portland Lutheran at home Tuesday night for the right to face league champion Portland Christian for the top district seed to state. The winner will play the Royals at Milwaukie High School Saturday night in the final game of a playoff quadrupleheader at 8:00 p.m. If Knappa should lose to PLS Tuesday, the Loggers would still have a shot at the third seed and would play the winner of a Tuesday playoff between De La Salle and Nestucca.
The Knights were playing their second game without talented 6-0 junior guard Amanuel Lemo, who was suspended for grades. Even his presence on the floor likely would have little impact on Knappa's smoking start to the game.
After the Loggers missed their first three shots, Knappa hit six of their next seven and ten of the next twelve shots from the field. Brian Riffe canned three 3-pointers, two of which were set up by kick-out passes by Ryan Isom, who has been the Loggers long bomber all season and is one of the state's top long range shooters.
Isom was held scoreless in the game, the first time the senior guard has been blanked since the final reguar season game at Warrenton last year, but produced five assists in the first quarter. Isom's twin brother Paul, Knappa's point guard, picked up the slack with eight points in the quarter, finishing in the paint while Riffe extended the defense.
"We made some nice reads in transition offensively," said Loggers head coach Craig Cokley. "We had a nice flow."
Knappa continued its strong start early in the second period, going up 34-14 on a Jesse Moreland basket. The Knights would respond with a defensive switch and an 11-0 run, forcing a Knappa time out as the lead was sliced in half in a span of two minutes.
"Their zone gave us a little bit of trouble," said Cokley of the primarily man-to-man Knights. "They move well in their zone and they cover the perimeter."
"They really keyed on Ryan."
Out of the time out, Moreland was fouled and hit both free throws ending the run. Baskets by Paul Isom and Moreland closed the half with Knappa leading 40-27.
De La Salle would again cut the lead to seven points as wing guard Luke Leonard hit one out of two free throws to make it a 44-37 game with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Freshman post Robert Auger (pronounced ro-BARE o-JAY) scored seven points in a 10-2 Knights run early in the period and would finish with 19 points.
Both teams would go through a two-and-a-half minute scoreless drought before Ryan Isom fed Nate West underneath for a Knappa basket. West hit a pair of free throws to put the Loggers up 51-39 entering the final period.
In the fourth quarter, backup guard Jonathan Hardy picked Paul Isom's pocket in backcourt and the resulting layup made it a 53-43 game. After Isom was called for travelling, Auger scored to cut the lead to eight once again with more than five minutes left in the game.
Baskets by Paul Isom and Moreland put the Loggers back up by 12 with 3:35 left and Knappa went into its "Cuts" delay game at about the 2:30 mark, leading 57-47. A miscommunication on a perimeter pass saw the ball sail out of bounds untouched, giving De La Salle the ball with 2:25 left. The Knights were unable to capitalize as Donta Harris missed a shot and Moreland secured the rebound.
With only three team fouls on the board, the Knights committed two fouls, but did not continue to foul. The Loggers ran more time off before Riffe drove in the lane and missed. Leonard missed a three on the other end and Bruce Farrell's rebound putback attempt was blocked by Moreland with Riffe controlling the rebound.
Another De La Salle foul stopped the clock with :42 left, but the Knights threw up the white flag and allowed Knappa to run out the clock.
Along with Riffe's hot early shooting, the 5-9 senior wing did a standout defensive job on Farrell, holding one of the league's most dangerous scorers to seven points in the game. Farrell attempted just two shots in the first half as the Loggers played a box-and-one defense. Auger had nine rebounds and two steals for the Knights.
"Riffe was huge," said Cokley. "He actually is a prety good perimeter shooter. His unorthodox style belies the fact that he is a good perimeter shooter, especially from three."
"I couldn't be happier with the way he's developed his game this year."
Five Loggers scored in the game as both teams used just seven players. Jesse Moreland recorded a double-double with 14 points, ten rebounds and five blocked shots. Paul Isom scored one off his career high with 12 points. Steven Bokor had seven rebounds for the Loggers.
Tuesday's playoff game against Portland Lutheran will be broadcast live on SportsRadio 1230 ESPN following the Portland Blazers game at Miami.
DE LA SALLE 9 18 12 8 -- 47
Farrell 7, Dom. Harris 2, Leongard 8, Auger 19, Don. Harris 7, Fuqua 2, Hardy 2.
KNAPPA 25 15 11 6 -- 57
R. Isom, P. Isom 12, Moreland 14, Aho 8, Bokor, Riffe 19, West 4.
FIELD GOALS-DLS: 20-64-31%, KNA: 23-57-40%
3-PT FG'S-DLS: 2-16-13%, KNA: 4-17-24%
FREE THROWS-DLS: 5-8-63%, KNA: 7-10-70%
REBOUNDS-DLS: 33, KNA: 39
TURNOVERS-DLS: 8, KNA: 13
posted by Matt Richert at 12:12 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home