Warriors Wake Up in 4th Defeat Aurora Central
By Matt Langley
www.BasketballColorado.com
12/17/2014
Denver, CO – The Warriors defeated the Aurora Central Trojans Wednesday night 51-39, at the Montbello Campus. Many expected a fast paced entertaining game between two schools however both teams employed zone defenses and walked the ball up the court on offense for most of the game. There was the occasional highlight provided by each teams high flyers but those moments were limited in the slow paced game.
The game started off with both teams lead guards the Warriors Malik Hart and Aurora Central’s LaDarius Thomas hitting 3’s giving the appearance that this game might take off. However, as both teams settled into there zone defenses neither team was effective in breaking the others zone. Neither team was able to be effective on the offensive glass. Hart scored all but two of the Warriors first eight points in the first quarter, while Elijah Coleman lead the Trojans in scoring in the first quarter helping Aurora Central to a 11-8 lead.
The second quarter was almost identical in style and play as the first. This time though it was Troy Green for the Warriors that was the biggest factor in the quarter for the Warriors. Green was active in the paint and slashing from the lane scoring 5 points in the quarter and grabbing multiple rebounds. Thomas kept it going the second quarter for the Trojans scoring 6 points and sophomore Marquise Johnson add four points to give Aurora Central the leas 21-18 near the end of the quarter. However, Hart made two free throws to cut the Trojan lead to one point by the end of the quarter.
Thomas again, started off hot, scoring 5 points to give the Trojans a 26-20 lead early in the 3rd quarter. That would be the largest lead for Aurora Central in the game. The Warriors length on their zone defense pushed the Trojans further and further out to run their offense. Meanwhile they had problems scoring until 3:30 left when senior C.J, Whittington made a basket and was fouled. He missed his free throw but got his own rebound and put it back in for a four point swing. With the Warriors trailing 29-28 and 1:36 left in the quarter Green rose up and caught an epic put back dunk of a missed Franklin Penn 3 pointer that nearly shut down the gym. After a time out and a couple of turnovers the Trojans hand the ball of the final shot of the quarter.
That would be the last lead for the Trojans. The Warriors out scored the Trojans 21-7 in the final quarter. Hart again got the Warriors going with a 6 point outburst in the first 1:15 of the fourth quarter. The Trojans looked timid at times in the 4th quarter not wanting to push the issue against the long Warrior defense. The Warriors were able to seal the win from the free throw line. The sophomore Penn went six of six from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and the Warriors went 11 of 12 from the free throw line as a team in the fourth quarter.
Double Digit Scorers
Aurora Central
LaDarius Thomas 23
Montbello
Hart 18
