Basketball: Hawk Boys Have a Half-Time Blitz and Win over Kennedy, 72-64
Tyler Pauly one of many Hawks scoring form the stripe.
Canyon Lake salvaged their Classic Tournament with a win over San Antonio Kennedy with a stellar 2nd Half comeback and win, 72-64.
Let’s Go Hawks!!
“We came out of half-time and we had to stop their #3 (Cliff Lopez),” Head Coach Luke Chapman said. “It was just Nic (Rivera)….who was able to stop him and that allowed us to finish and we cut down our turnovers.”
The Hawks scored 48 second half points after making 17 out of 25 (68%) shots in those last two quarters while sinking 13 out of 14 (93%) free throws that helped turn a 7 point deficit, 28-35 with 6 minutes remaining in the 3rd stanza into an 8 point Hawk win.
Tyler Pauly was the main instigator in dishing off 6 assists during this spell that had Rico Griffin pouring in 16 points in those last 16 minutes and 26 for the game.
Canyon Lake has had a player score 20 or more points 29 times and Griffin has accomplished this feat on 6 occasions this season.
Rico Griffin Points Game Date 31 Fox Tech 11.25.19 26 SA Kennedy 12.14.19 24 Brooks Academy 12.03.19 24 Marion 12.08.19 22 Marion 11.26.19 20 Blanco 11.19.19
Griffin passed last year’s all-time Hawk scorer, Parker Mott who had reached 20 or more points on 5 occasions during his career.
Peyton McMullen & Rico Griffin combined for 42 points in win over Kennedy.
“We started making our buckets and we became, ball strong, which helped us make a clear path to the basket,” Griffin recalled. “We did exactly what Coach wanted in that second half by putting Nic (Rivera) on their #3 (Lopez) and then making our own buckets.”
San Antonio Kennedy started slow but in their 2nd quarter became a hot shot beyond the arc after sinking 6 in that 23 point quarter. Which turned a 6 point deficit to a 6 point lead going into intermission, leading, 30-24.
The Rocket’s Lopez was administering the damage against the Hawks and after intermission Rivera was the designated defense in stopping those long range shots. Kennedy was successful only two more times during the 2nd Half and Lopez did not have another 3 point shot after sinking 5 in that 2nd quarter.
“He (Lopez) was unstoppable…if he had an open look then he was going to take it,” Rivera said. “I was not going to focus on rebounds and just guard him so he could not get the ball…it was kind of like a box and one which opened up our offense.”
Let’s Go Hawks!!
Both teams were tied up at 51 points a piece going into that final quarter as these two teams were tied four times and were all knotted up at 57 all with still 4:35 remaining in the game.
That was when Pauly found Peyton McMullen (who finished with 16 points) with a bounce pass under the basket that gave CL a lead that would not be threatened for the remainder of this battle, 59-57.
McMullen got the start in this game as he complimented his 16 points with 9 rebounds and 5 of those on the offensive side of the court.
“I have been playing hard in practice and Coach gave me a chance in this game,” McMullen stated. “I proved myself and it all boils down to communication.”
The Hawks would go on a 6 unanswered point barrage before the Rockets could answer, that brought Canyon Lake’s lead, back to 4 points, 63-59.
Go Hawks!!
A Patrick McAuliffe drive to the basket had an immediate answer and then those Hawk free throws would become an asset the remainder of this contest that would not allow the Visitors to get any closer. After sinking 9 of 10 charity shots with that last miss on their final walk to the line.
A much needed win for Canyon Lake as the Hawks will have two games next week before their Christmas Break and then a mad rush with a tournament before district games start in January.
Go Hawks!!
1 2 3 4 Final SA Kennedy 7 23 21 13 64 CL Hawks 12 12 27 21 72 3pt tot rebounds fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta pts or-dr tot a s b to Rico Griffin 11-18 0-0 4-4 26 3-6 9 4 1 1 6 Patrick McAuliffe 2-5 0-1 3-3 7 0-4 4 0 0 0 1 Tyler Pauly 2-2 0-0 3-4 7 0-4 4 6 1 0 4 Ben Rowe 4-4 0-0 1-1 9 1-1 2 0 1 0 2 Peyton McMullen 8-10 0-0 0-4 16 5-4 9 3 1 1 2 Colton Winters 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 Nic Rivera 2-5 1-3 2-2 7 1-2 3 2 1 0 0 Tuff Cantu 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 Rylee Spaulding 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1-0 1 0 0 0 0 Totals 29-45 1-4 13-18 72 11-21 32 15 5 2 18 Percentages 64% 25% 72% ========================================================= 1 2 3 4 Final SA Christian 13 13 19 15 60 CL Hawks 17 15 14 11 57 3pt tot rebounds fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta pts or-dr tot a s b to Rico Griffin 5-7 0-1 1-1 11 2-5 7 2 2 1 4 Patrick McAuliffe 0-1 0-1 3-4 3 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 Trent MacRoberts 4-10 1-3 1-2 10 0-2 2 1 1 1 1 Tyler Pauly 0-3 0-3 4-6 4 0-2 2 4 0 0 1 Ben Rowe 5-7 2-3 2-3 14 0-3 3 2 2 0 1 Peyton McMullen 2-5 0-0 0-0 4 0-1 1 1 3 0 0 Colton Winters 2-3 0-0 0-0 4 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 Nic Rivera 1-4 0-1 0-0 2 2-0 2 0 1 0 0 Rylee Spaulding 1-3 0-0 3-4 5 0-3 3 1 0 0 1 Totals 20-43 3-12 14-20 57 4-16 20 11 9 2 10 Percentages 47% 25% 70%
