From LBPOSTSports.com: You would probably guess that if a team limited their opponent’s best scorer to 6/25 shooting, if they outshot that team 57% to 46%, if they attempted 29 free throws to their opponent’s 12, you would probably guess that team won the game. Well, that’s exactly how the Millikan Rams pulled off their second upset victory over the Wilson Bruins this season, as stifling defensive intensity and clutch shooting helped the Rams to a 70-67 victory that once again tips the Moore League upside down, as the Rams are now 3-4 and in spitting distance of second place, and the Bruins fall to 4-3.
Video by J.J. Fiddler and Mike Guardabascio
With so much on the line, you couldn’t have asked for a better-played, tighter game—it was easily the best 32-minute game we’ve seen this season, with 11 lead changes and the game not secure until the final buzzer. From the outset, it was clear that was how it would go, as both teams put their best game forward in the first quarter, with great passing and intense on-ball defense—after eight minutes, the score was tied 15-15. In the second, Wilson looked like they might start to run away with it—Mike Wilder was held scoreless inside the arc, missing three shots, but he was 3/6 from three-point range, sparking a mid-quarter 10-1 run that put the Bruins up by 12 at one point. But Millikan utilized their press to create turnovers late, and ended the half on a 10-2 run, down 38-34 at the half, but very much with the momentum on their home court.
They traded points in the third, but Wilson maintained their advantage, until about halfway through, when Andrew Scott stole the ball from a Bruin, sprinted downcourt, and dunked it emphatically, giving the Rams’ bench a much-needed jolt of adrenaline, along with their first lead since they were up 15-13 near the end of the first quarter. They held the lead until just before the end of the quarter, when Wilder stole the ball and got the breakaway lay-up. The third quarter ended 51-50 Millikan, with the Rams having won the third 17-12.
Both defenses sagged back for the first part of the fourth, perhaps partially because the two offenses made press-break adjustments late in the third, and perhaps partially to try and conserve some energy—it was obvious that it would be a down-to-the wire finish, and it had already been the most athletic two-way game of the season. Wilson hung around until Joel Bitonio was fouled as he sunk a shot—he converted the three-point play and tied it at 59. It was see-saw basketball down to the last minute—at 0:55 on the clock, Wilder had just dropped in a deuce to tie it at 67. Wilson held on defense and got the ball back, but Wilder missed two shots, and then, with 0:14 on the clock, Millikan’s Scott grabbed the rebound, and Wilder, trying to make a play, fouled him while the Rams were in the bonus.
Scott went and hit both free throws, putting the Rams up 69-67—then the Rams, with a foul to give, let Wilder take the inbound pass and get two dribbles before they intentionally fouled him, draining four seconds off the clock to leave ten ticks. On the next inbound, they to Bitonio who tossed to Wilder, but Millikan’s Kierre Beverley came around the corner and knocked the ball free, then dove headfirst onto the ground to keep the Bruins from getting possession—the ball knocked around before going out of bounds with just one second remaining. Wilder fouled Beverley, who sank his first free throw, then Bitonio heaved a desperation three that was off the mark—when the buzzer buzzed, it was 70-67, and the Rams had done it again.
When asked what it was about the Rams’ particular style of defense that was so effective at disrupting his basketball team, Bruins coach Matt Michelson admitted, “I don’t really have the answer to that. It’s something we prepare for. I credit their defense—there are two games we’ve panicked in, and they were both against them. But when we’ve had problems before, we’ve corrected them, and we’ve been better next time.” Leaders for the Bruins were Wilder, who still had 20 despite the low-percentage shooting (he also had eight rebounds and five steals), and Bitonio, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Bruins now host Poly on Friday, in a game they’ll need to win to avoid falling to .500.
“This game is huge for our confidence,” said Millikan coach Jeff Breuklander. “We defended our home court—we got after it and got it done.” Leaders for the Rams were Beverley, who poured in 21 points on just 11 shot attempts (he was 11/14 from the stripe), Malcolm Whittington, who scored 17, and Derrick Franklin, who had 12 points and eight rebounds. Also worthy of mention was Alden Darby, who started in place of Beverly, and who absolutely harangued Wilder, with a style that some might describe as pesky. His aggression paces his team’s frenetic style for the whole game. Millikan, potentially on the move, will next host Lakewood—they’ll be trying to avoid the letdown game they had the last time they beat the Bruins, when they lost 65-57 to the Lancers.
Click here for the rest of the story by Mike Guardabascio…