West beats Hamilton; stays perfect in GMC

Hamilton commits 17 turnovers, falls to athletic Firebirds.

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer Updated 3:33 PM Wednesday, January 4, 2012

HAMILTON — The Lakota West High School boys basketball team entered Tuesday’s game at Hamilton unbeaten and in first place in the Greater Miami Conference, but it was the hosts who felt all the pressure.

The Firebirds harassed the Big Blue guards and repeatedly kept them from getting into their offense. The pressure also resulted in 10 steals that West turned into a number of easy baskets as it pulled away for a 60-46 victory.

“We came out a little flat, and we felt the only way we could get into the game was to force the tempo a little bit and try to force some turnovers and make them play a little bit more than a half-court game,” Firebirds coach Sean Van Winkle said. “We decided to trap the ball up high and made some good rotations and forced their young guards to step through the traps and make some bad passes.”

Kayuane Ross, Jackson Blue, Ali Barnes and Monty Boykins each had two steals for West, which improved to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the GMC. Hamilton committed 17 turnovers to fall to 2-6, 0-4 GMC.

“They’re athletic, very athletic,” HHS coach Tim Robinson said of the Firebirds. “They got some steals that led to some run-outs, and we gave them some easy baskets in the second half that hurt us.”

When Hamilton was able to handle the ball pressure and get the ball inside, Torrell Sutton usually finished. The senior post player had three dunks and led all players with 18 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks.

The lead changed hands six times through the first 10 minutes, but West made five shots in a row during an 11-2 run in the second quarter to seize control. Barnes scored nine of the 11 points in that spurt and finished with 15 to share team-high honors with Boykins.

Blue added nine, while Ross and Tyler Williams each contributed eight.

“We do feel like we have some balance offensively,” Van Winkle said.

HHS still was within three midway through the third quarter, but the Firebirds went on another run where they couldn’t miss, converting 6-of-7 shots in a 15-4 spurt that put the game out of reach.

“They’re a good team, and if you don’t get back they’re going to score,” Robinson said. “I’m proud of our guys for playing hard from beginning to end, but their athleticism just took over in the second half.”

Breon Boyd added five points and nine rebounds for Hamilton in just 14 minutes of action, while Quintin Bailey and Keimon Sims each scored seven.

Focus on boys basketball Lakota West 60, Hamilton 46

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