Sensing that it had Oakland Mills on the ropes at halftime, Calvert Hall wasted little time issuing the knockout blow in the third quarter Monday evening.
The Cardinals put together an 11-2 run out of intermission, creating the team's first double-digit lead of the game, and never looked back on the way to an 84-68 road win.
"We always talk about the fact that when you're coming out of halftime, especially when you have a lead, those first few minutes are really important," Calvert Hall coach John Bauersfeld said. "If you can build on that lead, get that up from six or seven points to 10 or 12, then that's going to really deflate the other team."
After losing two out of three games during the second week of December, Calvert Hall (10-2) has bounced back now with five straight wins.
Evan Phoenix, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds against Oakland Mills (4-2), said the early stumbles have refocused the team.
"I think we realized how tough it's going to be, the opponents that we're going to have to go against," Phoenix said. "I think we've started to believe in each other, working and passing the ball, and sharing it as a team."
Early on Monday, it was Oakland Mills that was moving the ball well on the way to a quick advantage. A jumper by Will Robinson Jr. (27 points) with a minute left in the first quarter staked the Scorpions to a 14-11 lead.
"I thought we actually were passing the ball fairly well at the beginning, staying away from the one-on-one stuff that plagues us at times," Oakland Mills coach Jon Browne said.
But, over the next three minutes spanning the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second, Calvert Hall began finding its rhythm.
Phoenix made a couple shots around the rim and Drew Edwards (19 points) got himself going as well, helping the Cardinals put together a 12-2 run.
"It was driving the ball to the basket and defensively picking up pressure on the basketball," Bauersfeld said. "We were playing a really soft man-to-man in the first quarter and in the second quarter we picked it up a little bit, and were able to continue to speed the game up."
Oakland Mills hung around for awhile, getting back-to-back dunks from Mamadou Ndiaye (16 points) and Robinson midway through the second quarter as part of a mini-push that got the Scorpions to within a point.
However, Calvert Hall answered again to go ahead 33-25 at the break. Then, with their push to start the second half, the Cardinals put the game out of reach.
Oakland Mills never got closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter and trailed by as many as 23 at one point down the stretch.
Calvert Hall ended up with five guys in double figures scoring, with Kenji Bahar (14 points), Justin Gorham (13) and Nico Clareth (11) all big nights of their own.
The loss was the second straight for Oakland Mills, which dropped a 75-63 decision to Long Reach on Friday. While getting Ndiaye back in the line-up is a positive, with Monday being just his second game back from a foot injury, Browne says there are some underlying problems that need to be addressed.
"There is basic fundamental stuff right now that we're not doing that has nothing to do with chemistry," Browne said. "It's frustrating, because as good as we can be at times, that's how bad we can be literally just a couple minutes later. I saw some great things tonight and some very concerning things as well.
"Hopefully we can clean some of this up because it's not going to get any easier … Dulaney is going to be ready to go on Friday."
Calvert Hall 84, Oakland Mills 68
CH (10-2): Edwards 19, Phoenix 18, Bahar 14, Gorham 13, Clareth 11, Griffiths 4, Duckett 3, Doughty 2.
OM (4-2): Robinson 27, Ndiaye 16, Williams-Day 9, Kiely 8, Aaron 4, Stanfield 2, Hopkins 2.
Half: 33-25 CH.
Other scores:
River Hill 82, Hammond 50
Charlie Thomas broke a River Hill school record with 46 points to lead the way for the Hawks. His night, which included 37 second-half points to help River Hill break open what was a 26-22 game at the half, breaks the mark previously held by Tommy Brenton (who scored 44 points in a game in 2007).
"I saw that we were only up by a few and I knew that I needed to step up if we wanted to win," said Thomas. "My teammates kept feeding me in the post and I just kept going. I've never been that hot before, but I give a lot of credit to my teammates for getting me t he ball in spots where I could score."
After suffering through a recent four-game losing skid, the Hawks have now won two straight games — against Cardozo Saturday and then Hammond Monday.
"We started off the season kind of rough, but I think that win over Cardozo and this win tonight has given us some more confidence as we go into break. I think we're ready to move forward now," Thomas said.
RH (2-4, 3-4): Thomas 46, Sandler 10, Borucki 6, Mentle 6, Martin 4, Isaac 3, French 3, Gabel 3, Ndiritu 1.
Ha (0-6, 1-6): Wilcher 15, Whong 11, L. Thomas 9, Ridgell 6, Johnson 5, N. Moore 2, Allen 2.
Half: 26-22 RH.
Reservoir 72, Atholton 52
Seth Henry led the way with 20 points, 14 rebounds 3 steals and 2 blocks in what was one of the Gators' best all-around games of the season. Reservoir jumped ahead 38-19 at one point in the third quarter.
Jon Mierzwa added 16 points and German Garcia had 13 right behind Henry for the Gators. Brandon Willis led Atholton with 20 points.
Re (5-1, 6-1): Henry 20, Mierzwa 16, G. Garcia 13, Weith 6, Phillips 5, Maloney 4, Gaines 3, J. Garcia 3, Obering 2.
A( 3-3, 4-3): Willis 20, Carter 15, Mason 6, James 5, Washington 4, Kelly 2.
Half: 28-18
Centennial 55, Wilde Lake 44
C (6-0, 7-0): Brown 20, Strothers 12, I. White 12, Clemens 7, Fowler 2, An 2,
WL (0-6, 0-6): Ichrist 18, Lamptey 8, Barnes 7, Cantwell 5, Morgan 2, Jordan 2, Stubblefield 2.
Half: 27-20 C.
Mt. Hebron 60, Glenelg 52
MH (5-1, 5-1): A. Smith 19, Bryant 13, M. Smith 12, Linsenmeyer 6, Maloney 4, Horton 3, Schroeder 3.
G (1-5, 1-5): Hammert 14, Oates 13, Napolitano 10, Richardson 7, Mills 4, Conners 2, Wade 2.
Half: 26-26.
Long Reach 73, Howard 62
LR (4-2, 4-3): Lamar 20, Duckett 17, Avery 11, Carter 10, Brodnax 8, Menusan 6, Paul 1.
Ho (2-4, 2-4): Greene 22, Shuart 21, Savage 10, Noble 3, Dawkins 2, O'Malley 2, Robinson 2.
Half: 29-22 LR.