Pioneers power past Avella, 54-41
AVELLA 鈥� Benjamin Jackson scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as West Greene powered past host Avella, 54-41, in a Section 2-A boys basketball game last Friday night.
Pioneers 6-foot-5 center Greg Staggers followed with 13 points and eight boards as he and the 6-1 Jackson dominated the Eagles inside. Corey Wise added nine rebounds.
鈥淚 thought our defense made the difference in the game,鈥� Pioneers coach Jim Romanus said. 鈥淲e played a solid match-up zone. For the most part we handled pressure and we ran our offense efficiently.
鈥淕reg Staggers had a career night. His job is to be a defensive presence and to get offensive boards and set screens and he did that very well, plus he scored. And Ben鈥檚 always a force. Ben鈥檚 an athlete and he鈥檚 an outstanding football player but a lot of people don鈥檛 realize that he鈥檚 a good basketball player, too.鈥�
Avella coach Mike Maltony agreed.
鈥淚f Jackson is a football player trying to act like a basketball player he鈥檚 doing a darn good job at it,鈥� Maltony said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable how powerful they are inside.鈥�
West Greene star guard Austin Crouse was limited to 11 points and one 3-pointer, all in the first half, due to foul trouble but his teammates picked him up.
Jackson, Crouse and Staggers each scored as Avella took a 6-0 lead and never trailed. The Pioneers (2-1, 2-4) were up 10-6 after one period and out-scored the Eagles 17-12 in the second for a 27-18 lead, despite a trio of 3-pointers by Avella鈥檚 Gabe Lis, who had a team-high 15 points.
Two free throws by Justin Dryer and a 3-pointer by Brandon Samol got the Eagles (0-2, 1-5) within 27-23 early in the second half, and when Crouse went to the bench with his third foul it seemed Avella had a chance to get even closer.
The Pioneers went on a 12-2 run while Crouse sat, however, and ended the quarter with a 41-28 lead.
鈥淎ustin is a play-maker,鈥� Romanus said. 鈥淔ortunately when Austin went out our other guys stepped up and just ran the offenses through until we got what we wanted.鈥�
Avella got no closer than 12 the rest of the way.
The Eagles had their own foul troubles as their best inside player Tyler Cerciello picked up three fouls in the first half. Relegated to the bench for long stretches, he was held to five points.
鈥淲e thought maybe KJ (Rush) could come in and help us out and he did a decent job with Tanner Terenesky,鈥� Maltony said. 鈥淭hey did the best they could but we don鈥檛 have the beef to defend against that.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be trouble for people down the road. I don鈥檛 know how many teams can match up against that interior level that they have.鈥�
Romanus is pleased to see his team improving.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy with the way we鈥檙e going,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e getting better, which is important.
鈥淎vella鈥檚 got a nice team. They鈥檙e well coached and play well at home so we鈥檙e real satisfied to get out of here with a win.鈥�