Fast start lifts Plano past Oregon
By Mike Knapp For Sun-Times Media February 21, 2012 9:48PM
Plano's Devin Haws puts up a shot over a couple of Oregon defenders as teammate Joseph Jones looks on during Tuesday's regional at Somonauk. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 23, 2012 8:21AM
The first round of the state tournament is usually cause for a few nerves, but if Plano felt them Tuesday the Reapers sure didn’t show it.
Opening play against Oregon at the Somonauk Class 2A Regional, the Reapers got off to a fast start and kept it going all night as they rolled to a 57-31 win. The fourth-seeded Reapers move to 18-10 and draw top-seed Aurora Christian in tonight’s 6 p.m. semifinal.
Plano, riding some momentum after knocking off rival Sandwich last Friday, shot 7-for-14 from the field in the first quarter and jumped out to a 14-6 lead. The Reapers improved that in the second eight minutes when they made seven of their 11 tries and owned a comfortable 33-15 advantage at the break.
“I was pleased, we came out and got easy shots and ball movement,” Plano coach Brett Moore said. “We played to our strengths and that was probably the best first quarter we have played all year.”
Devin Haws, who went over the 1,000-point mark Friday, scored all of his game-high 13 points in the first half, and Joseph Jones finished the night with 12 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Jose Martinez added 10 to give the Reapers three players in double figures.
Plano shared the ball well, making the extra pass and finding the open man. Eight players scored for Plano, which finished the night hitting 25 of the 49 shots it took from the floor.
“It’s always great to get off to a hot start, and if I can’t be the one scoring I’m looking for guys to step up,” Haws said. “That was exactly what our team did, we worked our tails off and did a good job.”
That extended to the defensive end as Oregon couldn’t buy a basket. The Hawks finished the night with one more shot than Plano (50) but only made 12 of them, three in each quarter, and got to the free throw line only six times.
“The last half of the season we have buckled down on (defense) more than anything,” Haws said. “It’s great to see all of the progress that we have made.”
Caleb Mowry led Oregon with 11 points, while Kyle Remrey had 10, all of which came in the second half.
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