Eagles thrash Tigers 67-34

NORTH ROBINSON — In a game between the top two teams in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference Friday night, Colonel Crawford never trailed as it cruised to a 67-34 home conference win over Seneca East."I think we showed our diversification tonight," Colonel Crawford coach David Sheldon said. "First half, they're really doubling Payne [DeGray] and we have threes from Baker and Weithman. Second half, Brayden Holt did an unbelievable job of attacking the zone and getting Payne touches."Coach Shelton mentioned how all starters scored at least nine points in the contest, giving the Eagles good balance. "That's what this group does," Shelton said. "Depending on what teams give us: we're going to try to attack that. It's a team that's very unselfish and plays together."The Eagles (8-0 overall, 5-0 N10) opened the game on an 8-2 run started by Holt knocking down a three-pointer from the right corner. Their next offensive possession, Colonel Crawford's John DeGray went coast-to-coast for a left-hand layup to go up 5-0.Tiger freshman Jaron Depinet hit a short jumper in the lane to get his team on the board shortly thereafter, but Colonel Crawford answered back with Peyton Baker making a three to end the run.Halfway through the first quarter, Seneca East's Brady Bloom converted a three-point play after being fouled in the paint to get the Tigers (9-2, 5-2) within three points of the lead. That's the closest they'd get as the Eagles went on an 19-2 run over the next eight minutes of gameplay.An inside bucket by Payne DeGray was followed up by Parker Weithman's three from the right wing on back-to-back possessions for Colonel Crawford to make it a 13-5 contest.Seneca East's lone score in the run came from Keagan Boes, who scored while being fouled but missed the free throw.The DeGray brothers finished the quarter with John laying in a finger roll from underneath the basket and Payne banking it off the glass down low to end the quarter with a 17-7 lead for the Eagles.The Eagles started the second quarter with a bang—scoring 10 points on their first four possessions.Weithman's three from the right wing was followed by an alley oop layup from Holt to John DeGray. Next, Holt sank a floater in the lane before Weithman made another trey to push Colonel Crawford to a 27-7 lead.Ninety seconds later, the Tigers' Luke Mason found Landyn Hicks wide open. Hicks proceeded to finish off a layup at the rim. Unfortunately, CC's Baker answered right back with a three from the right wing.That's when Seneca East showed some signs of life and finished the half with an 8-0 run.Depinet dribble penetrated for a layup to spark the drive. Depinet then dropped a three from the top of the key SE's next time down the floor. Brady Bloom penetrated the lane for a layup before Mason made one-of-two free throws to end the half with the score 30-17 in favor of the Eagles.The Tigers came out roaring when Mason scored on a fast break lay up to get within 11 points of Colonel Crawford. But for every Seneca East action was a reaction from the Eagles.Holt was the lead reactionary, nailing a short jumper as a response. The following possession, SE's Hicks made a free throw only to be answered right back when Holt made a floater in the lane. Holt then made a steal and hit another floater in the lane.A Bloom three-point shot from the wing for there Tigers was answered with a three from the top of the key by the Eagles' Baker.Midway through the quarter, a steal by brother John was finished by Payne DeGray off the glass at the other end. Seneca East's Depinet made a three on their ensuing offense, but then CC clamped down defensively to finish out the third on a 8-0 run.Baker scored in the lane, and a couple minutes later, the DeGray brothers each converted and-one opportunities on consecutive possessions to go into the final period with a 49-26 lead for the Colonel Crawford.The Eagles' Payne DeGray put back an offensive board to start the scoring for the fourth quarter. That's when the Eagle's Weithman committed a foul and quickly was called for a technical foul. Mason knocked down the two free throws to get within 23 points. A left-handed layup from Colonel Crawford's Holt was quickly responded with a nice floater in the lane from Depinet.A couple minutes later, the DeGray brothers scored on consecutive offenses then Holt threw up an alley oop to John DeGray for the layup.Nicholas Parks scored in the paint, but that was instantly answered at the other end by the Eagles' Holt with a bank shot.The clock wound down a couple minutes before Colonel Crawford's Hayden Spears dropped a three from there right wing. A short jumper from the Tigers' Bloom was led up with another three from Spears—this time at the top of the key—to round out the scoring."Obviously, they're the best team on our schedule. Probably one of the best teams in the region," Seneca East coach Anthony Langhurst said. "I think Jaron [Depinet] stepped up and did some nice things. What we were trying to do defensively. I thought guys did some nice things."Colonel Crawford's Holt led all scorers with 17 points. The DeGray brothers had 13 points a piece. Fellow starters, Weithman and Baker finished with nine points.Seneca East's Depinet led the Tigers with 12 points on the night."We're not 9-2 without him," Coach Langhurst said of Depinet. "The scoring aspect of his game—that's not necessarily something that other guys can do."