When the Ava Junior Varsity boys’ basketball team took the home floor Jan. 7 against Morrisville, they hadn’t played a game since Dec. 21, and “it showed”, Coach Nathan Houk said. The Bears scored only one point in the first quarter.
The team got things going in the second and third quarters, however, outscoring the opponent 31-15, and finished with a strong 41-32 win.
Scoring for Ava was balanced with eight different players figuring in the tally.
Austin Casey and Caleb Miles lead all scorers with eight points apiece and Dexter Fish and Kevin Philpott added six each. Ben Loge had four points and Kody Kutz, Jesse Johnson and Tyler Cox each had three points.
The Bears traveled to Blue Eye on Jan. 11 and won by 30 points, 61-31.
“Our defense allowed us to get off to a good start and generate easy buckets on the offensive end,” Coach Houk said.
Ava’s full-court pressure defense made for a fast-paced game and the Bears led at halftime, 24-12. This time 11 different players figured in the scoring.
Johnson, Tyler Cox and Kutz sparked the team with good shooting behind the 3-point line. The team is still struggling at the free throw line, however.
“I would like to see our overall team free throw percentage improve,” Coach Houk said. “However, if we keep improving defensively, we will be a hard team to beat in conference play.”
Ava’s bench accounted for 24 of the 61 points scored.
Scoring were: Tyler Cox 14, Fish 10, Johnson 9, Philpott 6, Chase Dixon 5, Kutz 5, Loge 4, Zach Bray 3, Chris Cox 2, Casey 2 and Miles 1.
Ava JV played Pleasant Hope on Wednesday, Jan. 12, in the first round of the Fair Grove junior varsity tournament and once again won big, 63-21. The Bears also played Buffalo and Fair Grove as the tournament continued.
Ava’s full-court pressure allowed for easy scores and the Bears took a 35-7 lead to the dressing room at halftime.
The bench players came through once again in the second half, holding their own defensively.
Ben Loge led all scorers with 19 points, and his hustle on defense was a spark to the entire team.
Dixon and Casey also scored in double figures with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Others scoring were Miles 8, Fish 5, Johnson 4, Tyler Cox 2 and Chris Cox 2.
