CRESTVIEW — First-year Crestview High School boys basketball coach George Stakley won’t have to wait for his first win until after the Thanksgiving holiday break.
The Bulldogs took care of that piece of business Monday when they hosted Pensacola High School.
Rusty Moorer and Marcus Purcell combined for 45 points as the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 54-45 in Stakley’s second game calling the shots.
“We needed this one at home,” Stakley said. “This was a big win for us.
“We just want to improve game-to-game. We haven’t played much together. Overall, it was a big win and we played better together.”
Crestview won the game at the free throw line and by hitting shots behind the 3-point line. The Bulldogs were 17-of-21 from the charity stripe and hit five 3-pointers.
The Tigers hit 13 2-point baskets compared to 11 by the Bulldogs. But Pensacola on hit two 3-point baskets and was only 13-25 from the line.
Tiger big man Bryant Davonchae gave Pensacola a quick 5-0 lead in the first 80 seconds of the game.
Andrew Adkins hit the first Crestview’s 3-pointers with 6:21 left in the first quarter and the Bulldogs were off and running behind the strong play of Purcell, a freshman.
Purcell scored nine of his 20 points in the first quarter as Crestview erased the early deficit and led 19-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Neither team did much on offense in the second quarter as the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 29-19 at the half.
Crestview (1-1) led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter. The Tigers preceded to go on a run that saw them close the lead to 41-38 late in the third quarter.
A 3-pointer by Moorer with 27 seconds left in the period extended the Crestview lead back to six points.
Moorer and Purcell teamed up to put the finishing touches on the Bulldog win in the fourth quarter. Moorer scored six points, all from the free throw line. Purcell hit a pair of free throws and hit a 2-point basket as Crestview closed out the win.
Pensacola 12 7 19 7 – 45
Crestview 19 10 15 10 – 54
PENSACOLA (45)
DeAndre Norman 2, Devin Gadson 5, Jameriquo Johnson 3, Javon Grimsley 2, Robert Reeves 5, Car`driques Baggage 8, Bryant Davonchae 20. Totals 13 2 12-15 45.
CRESTVIEW
Rusty Moorer 25, Andrew Adkins 7, Marcus Purcell 20, Tyrese Seals 2. Totals 11 5 17-21 54.
Crestivew-Pensacola basketball box score
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Stakley gets first win as Crestview coach (PHOTOS)