LAUREL HILL – If Tuesday’s season opener is any indication of things to come, it should be a fun season for the Laurel Hill School boys basketball team.
The Hoboes played relentless defense to spark a high octane offense against Escambia Charter. The end results was an impressive 66-41 win.
“At times, I thought we did some good things,” Laurel Hill Coach Kent Zessin said. “And at times, again, we played a like a team plays early in the season.
“I liked the way the defense came out and took control of the ball game. I thought we shared the ball real well tonight. We had two in double figures, but we had three more that had eight or nine points that could have been in double figures.”
Sam Durm scored the game’s first basket with 48 seconds off the clock in the first quarter and the Hoboes were off and running. Four quick points by Lane Alford pushed the Laurel Hill lead to 6-0.
Marquis Williams put Escambia Charter on the scoreboard hitting a pair of free throws with 5:50 left in the opening period. A basket by Williams pulled the Bulldogs to with two points of Laurel Hill.
The Hoboes kept coming though as brothers Mason Cooper and Bryson Cooper scored to take the action to Escambia Charter.
Laurel Hill led 18-9 at the end of the first quarter and Durm had six of his team-high 19 points at the end of the quarter.
Durm continued to have a hot hand in the second quarter scoring seven more points. Cameron Gordon got untracked in the second quarter scoring six of his 12 points. Mason Cooper also scored six points in the second quarter as Laurel Hill increased its lead to 41-18 at the break.
The Hoboes had the game well in hand by the time Zessin called off the press in the second half. Laurel Hill led 53-31 at the end of the third period and outscored Escambia Charter 13-8 in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Durm and Gordon were the only Hoboes in double figures. Gordon had 12 points to go along with Durm’s 19 points.
Williams scored 23 points for the Bulldogs. Curtis Hazard had 14 points
Escambia Charter 9 9 13 10 – 41
Laurel Hill 18 23 12 13 – 66
ESCAMBIA CHARTER (41)
Hazard 14, Paige 1, Millender 3, Williams 23. Totals 15 11-24 41,
Laurel Hill (66)
T.J. White 7, Mason Cooper 8, Lane Alford 9, Dakota Bly 4, Cameron Gordon 12, Sam Durm 19, Bryson Cooper 7. Totals 21 6 6-16 66.
Basketball box
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill cruises in opener (PHOTOS)