Courtesy to GreensboroSports.com from L.A. Logan(Guilfordian, New Garden Friends and high school basketball sidelines)
Page Pirates blow out Southeast Guilford Falcons 82-30 winning their first 11 of 12 games of the season.
“We had to bounce back from our first loss to get a win going into conference play,” said junior guard Anthony Eaves. “We want to get a top-seed for the playoffs.”
Senior wing Jeremy Harris and sophomore guard Ty Graves scored 17 points a-piece as the Pirates took a commanding lead early and never looked back.
The reason for their early success: constant ball pressure. The Pirates 1-2-2 trap press forced turnovers, which led to easy buckets from the opening tip.
“It was like playing safety in football,” said senior point-guard Jalen Gavin. “If you bait them they will throw it to you. You catch it and take it to the crib.”
Towards the end of the first quarter Harris recorded back-to-back steals that earned him a lefty scoop layup and a monstrous one-handed slam.
“We’re very long and athletic,” Harris said. “That contributed to the dunks and layups tonight.”
By the second quarter Page had this game wrapped up. With 3:00 left in the second, Southeast trailed 30-10.
Right before the half, Harris caught a tip-dunk off a Graves 3-point try. On their next possession Gavin found a wide-open Graves for 3 from the left wing.
“Jalen makes the game a lot easier for us,” said Eaves. “He gets into the gaps and dishes it out to us giving up open looks to knockdown.”
“I’m just trying to get my flow back,” said Gavin. “When my teammates are on they are on. I can shoot the ball, but most of the time I’m just being a point guard and being a leader.
“They know if they are open I’ll give them the ball.”
To put the icing on the cake, Harris came up with yet another steal and a two- handed thunder-dunk at the buzzer going into the half with score 41-12.
Page’s swarming defense and length caused turnover after turnover all night.
“We don’t want to lose anymore,” Harris added.
Although Southeast was outmatched this game, they worked their tails off until the last buzzer sounded.
Senior point guard Josh Crutchfield and senior wing Ronald Robinson each scored 11 points for the Falcons.
Eaves chipped in 16 points and sophomore forward Diondre Overton added 15 for the 12-1 Pirates, who travel to rival Grimsley this Friday.