Free Throws Lift Denver East  Over ThunderRidge

It was free throw shooting that helped #10 Denver East over host #2 ThunderRidge Saturday afternoon in front of a near capacity crowd. East shot 23 of 32 from the free-throw line and used a solid match up zone to force ThunderRidge into uncharacteristic  turnovers. Even though East shot only 2 of 11 from behind the arch and ThunderRidge had four players in double figures the Grizzlies couldn’t get East to turn the ball over or get the defensive stop it needed to claim the lead late in the game.

ThunderRidge did not play it’s best game not only where fouls and turnovers an issue so was its three point shooting. Which was basically non-existent early in the game and didn’t start to fall expect for a small stretch of the third quarter and late in the game when sophomore Kaison Hammonds hit two of his three pointers in the final three minutes of the game.

East’s Deron Harrell carved up the ThunderRidge defense all afternoon slashing to the basket and making tough shots like the one here just before the end of the third quarter.

The game was close the either way with East never able to gain a double digit lead. East’s largest lead came early in the third quarter after Deron Harrell scored on a drive. TunderRidge mounted a comeback of sorts and cut the East lead to one, 37-36 with 1:55 left in the third quarter after back to back three pointers senior Troy Brady and junior Corey Seng. East Quickly pushed the lead back up after baskets from Harrell and senior Jack Buckmelter.

Even though East made only two, yes only two field goals in the fourth quarter, the Angles thwarted a ThunderRidge comeback by shooting 16 of 22 from the free-throw line. Junior Joe Abiakam made 5 of 6 from the free throw line and Senior Daytone Jennings made 4 of 4 in the final frame.

Double Digit scorers

Denver East

Buckmelter 19

Harrell 17

Abiakam 12

Jennings 12

ThunderRidge

Mueller 14

Seng 15

Brady 10

Verk 11