The big first half propelled Spanish Springs to a 71-50 High Desert League road win at McQueen in boys prep basketball action.
The Cougars built a 20-12 lead after the first quarter and never trailed the rest of the way.
Sophomore Rollins Stallworth knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner that kept McQueen in contention with 6:08 to go in the second period.
That’s as good as it got for the host Lancers. The Cougars reeled off a 16-3 spurt over the next five minutes. Cougars senior Dan Lide concluded the outburst with a 3-pointer from the top of the key, forging the SSHS squad ahead 38-18 with a minute to go before the break.
Spanish Springs wound up taking a 40-22 lead into the locker room at halftime.
“I remember looking at the clock with about 4:30 left in the second (quarter), thinking, ‘man it would be nice to get this to 20,’” Spanish
Springs coach Kyle Penney said. “They went with a small lineup and so we went with a small lineup. Then we could press and that was pretty key for us.”
McQueen’s athletic Hall of Fame ceremony extended the halftime break from 10 minutes to 20, but it did not cause Spanish Springs to go flat.
A pair of Lide free throws with five ticks to go in the third period capped the quarter’s scoring and still left Spanish Springs with a 16-point edge, 52-36.
The 12-point offensive output in the third period was the lowest for in eight minute span for the Cougars on the night, but it mattered little. The SSHS hoopsters got right back into a rhythm in the final quarter, posting 19 more points and cruising to the 21-point triumph.
McQueen did not manage to get closer than 14 points in the fourth quarter.
“They came out and put a little pressure on us and we weren’t patient,” first-year McQueen coach John Franklin said. “We didn’t move the ball like we need to ... We didn’t control the tempo. I feel like if we play at the speed we need to and with the intelligence that we can, then we can be in any game.”
Stallworth led McQueen (9-9, 2-4 HDL) with 11 points, but he was the lone Lancer to post double digits in the scoring column and he was shut out after the intermission.
On the flip side, Spanish Springs got three players into double digits in the scoring column.Taelor Marchbanks finished with 19 points. Dan Lide wasn’t far behind with 18 points. Adam Miller chipped in 10 for the Cougars.
“Our motion (offense) was good tonight,” Penney said. “We went through a couple valleys in the fourth quarter where we were being a little selfish and didn't move the ball like we wanted. Then I called timeout and we got three back-door cuts for layups. That’s the way it should have been the whole quarter.”
Spanish Springs improved to 15-6 overall and finishes the first go-round of HDL play with a 4-2 mark. The Cougars are in action again Tuesday when they host league co-leader Reno.
“In terms of playoff position, and that’s a long way away, but this win still keeps us in reach of Hug and Reno,” Penney said. “We could still be the No. 1 one seed if things go the right way. But we’re not guaranteed a playoff spot yet either.”
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