By Rob Kiser Sports Writer
Pitsburg – Franklin Monroe High School
When the Tri-Village High School boys’ basketball team turns up the pressure on its zone press, opponents, beware.
Franklin Monroe was the victim of that lesson Friday in the Patriots’ 78-50 victory in Cross County Conference action.
Franklin Monroe trailed just 15-13 early in the second quarter, but the Patriots’ pressure turned that into a mirage.
Taking advantage of numerous Jet turnovers, Tri-Village put together a 25-3 run and was ahead 40-16 early in the third quarter.
“They probably had 16 points off the press,” Franklin Monroe coach Richard Cline, who saw his team lose a school record sixth straight game, said. “We didn’t handle the full-court pressure well. I thought we were ready for it, but it is obvious we weren’t.”
After baskets by Nathan MacKendrick and Kraig Ressler had brought the Jets to within two points, Shane Bietry and Nate Lindamood scored to make it 19-13 and Lee Falknor called time out.
“They were worrying about other things that were happening on the floor,” Falknor said. “I told them to just concentrate on playing basketball. They settled down and did a good job. We turned up the pressure on the press.”
Lindamood scored seven points during the stretch, while Bietry, Randy Ward, Scoob Cook, and Lee Brandon had four each, and Dirk Lewis added two.
That balance also showed up in the final totals. Lindamood led with 20 points, while Lewis had 13, Cook 12, Ward 11, and Brandon 10.
“They do a good job of hitting the open man,” Falknor said. “That is when this team is at its best. When we run our offense properly, everyone has an opportunity to score. We have had that balance all year.”
The victory upped the Patriots’ mark to 16-0, 7-0 in the CCC.
“It was a big win,” Falknor said. “They are all important, though. This is a tough place to win. Franklin Monroe has an excellent tradition.”
Cline found some bright spots in the loss that dropped the Jets to 3-13 overall and 2-6 in the CCC.
It might have been Kraig Ressler’s best game,” Cline said. “I thought we did all right in the half-court offense. The younger kids got a chance to play. Nathan MacKendrick had a chance to guard Scoob Cook, which has to help him.
“We were to impatient on offense. You have to make a team like Tri-Village play defense…we didn’t do a good job of that tonight.”
MacKendrick finished with 13 points, while Kerry Vanatta and Ressler each scored 12.
Tri-Village was 32 of 53 from the floor for 60 percent and 10 of 14 from the line for 71 percent. Franklin Monroe was 20 of 44 from the floor for 45 percent and five of nine from the line for 56 percent.
Scoring by Quarters
Tri-Village 15 20 24 19 – 78
Franklin Monroe 9 7 12 22 – 50
Tri-Village
Lindamood - 20
Brandon - 10
Ward - 11
Cook - 12
Bietry - 6
Lewis - 13
Fisherback - 0
Wicker - 4
Baker - 2
Buckingham - 0
Bennett - 0
Totals - 78
Franklin Monroe
MacKendrick - 13
Vanatta - 12
Ressler - 12
Hemmerick - 7
McCans - 3
Kerns - 2
Hosler - 1
Figel - 0
Marker - 0
Sease - 0
Totals - 50
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