Cougars run wild

The Martin Luther boys varsity basketball team defeated St. Demetrios by a final score of 63-50 on Tuesday.

The Cougars strongest weapon was their press defense, which allowed them to use their speed in transition.

The game of runs started off early with the Cougars jumping to a 7-0 lead. St. Demetrios had no answers for the Cougars full court press. St. Demetrios turned the ball over on consecutive possessions which lead to easy fast break points for the Cougars. After pushing the lead to 19-7, the Cougars allowed an 8-0 to bring the score to 19-15 after one.

This was certainly a part of the game plan. "We gotta run, we just gotta run," said Head Coach Randal Gast. "We are not a half court team."

The Cougars struggled in the second quarter after St. Demetrios' point guard Thanasis Malis caught fire. His ball handling allowed St. Demetrius to advance the ball and his sharp shooting was too much for the Cougars to handle. A big struggle for the Cougars was also staying out of foul trouble. They had 10 fouls with 4:38 left in the half, putting them in the double bonus. The Cougars took a slim 33-32 lead into halftime.

The game of runs continued as the Cougars opened up on a 13-5 run. The Cougars also focused their defense on denying Malis the ball in the second half, which really stalled St. Demetrius' offense. The Cougars started to pull ahead at the end of the third, leading 47-40.

Senior, forward, Steven Fonseca stepped up in the fourth quarter hitting three consecutive three-pointers. He totaled 13 total points in the quarter alone and was a driving force as the Cougars pulled away. St. Demetrios refused to go away and kept fighting, but ultimately fell, 63-50.

Gast, hinted that Fonseca could find his way to the starting lineup.

Keith Miller, who had missed time due to a heart condition, returned in a big way. The big man made his presence felt instantly, grabbing rebounds and contesting shots. Both areas that the Cougars have struggled with in the past.

"He certainly helped us inside," said Gast.

Point guard, Cameron Thompson certainly looked anything but a first year player. When the team struggled he showed great poise and let the Cougars offense set and spread the ball, often finding an open Fonseca.

"We showed some great poise in the second half," said Gast.

Junior, shooting guard, Devin Berrios proved to be reliable on the offensive end and hit some key free throws down the stretch.

While Gast see's room for improvement he is certainly happy with the result. "A win is a win," he said.

By: Michael Florio