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Show aH Paced by the performance of seniors Brad Eva and "Jimmy VanLeeuwen, the Dugway Mustangs pounded the North Suipmit Braves to capture their season opener in impressive style. Eva let Mustang coach George BruCe know early on that the inside game wasnt going to vanish just because Greg Brown, Eric VanLiere and Ed Whiting had graduated. The senior consistently went to the bucket in the first half as he garnered 19 of his team high 26 points. - EVA WAS also strong on the- offensive boards scoring six points off rebounds. Though VanLeeuwen was effective in the middle offensively agaiast the Braves highly touted Mike Marsh, scoring 14 points, the 6T starter put in his lest performance at the other end of the court in shutting down Marsh completely. The senior recorded three blocks, 15 rebounds, and didnt allow the Brave any points until he connected on a turnaround jumper with 6:33 remaining in the second period. Marsh finished with four points for the half after netting two free throws in the quarters final minutes. UWEVE SPENT THREE years now teaching Jimmy how to play good defense, explained Bruce, and he showed it tonight. Bruce also had high praise for the team. We played good defease, especially inside. Added assistant coach Carl Roberts, the kids played with a lot of intensity. - w hom; dlirop 3 While the Mustangs were shutting off any point explosions the Braves might muster, the Dugway offense did some exploding itself with the type of running game that has typified the program for many years. THE MUSTANGS ran the break against North Summit time after time as diminutive Steve Bruce stepped into Paul Mohammeds shoes as the teams top ballhandler and floor leader. The sophomore guard engineered six breaks in the first half and seven in the final 16 minutes as Dugway literally ran away from the Braves. As a substitute midway through the second quarter, John Witkowski picked up where Bruce left off, adding two steals in the closing minutes and driving the middle twice for shovel passes to Eva and VanLeeuwen. Early on. North Summit was only able to stay within striking distance because they capitalized at the free throw line after Joe Mohammed had pu them in the bonus with his third foul. BUT WITH A 16-- 5 offensive spurt in the third quarter, the Mustangs put the game out of reach, although North Summit rallied against Bruces substitutes in the fourth period for a 19-- 8 advantage. Though the game was settled early on, there were still a few sour notes that Bruce will have to contend with. One of them was his perimeter shootoffense. ing, a prine factor in his switch this year to a Were not getting any scoring from the wing men, he explained. Johnny (Bate) shot two for nine, and Jeff (Burke) and Joe were just as bad. In fact, Mohammed hit his first field goal two minutes into the third quarter. FOR THE GAME, Bate could muster only six points while Mohammed added five, Bruce two and Witkowski one. Another sore spot was the Mustangs passing game. Last year, Jeff was the most reliable passer on the JV team, Bruce asserted. But this year hes been missing them over and over again. The problem, however, doesnt simply rest with the senior. Our passing game, the mentor agreed, 'hasnt lieen that gpod all the way around. Hie wing position, however, has provided. Bruce with something he desperately needs against taller teams; rebounding. Both Bate and Mojiammed grabbed seven off the glass while Witkowski added five. IN THE FINAL assessment, the Mustangs did what they had to do and that was prove to Bruce they could play at a competitive level. 1 didnt think the game was going to be that easy, he expressed. But we played a lot better than 1 thought we were capable of playing. to inra mm S G points and eight rebounds for the night, took charge of the offense early in the third period scoring three straight from five feet to knot it at 30. Seven minutes later Escalante held a advantage. A basket by Bate and a free throw by Sam Liddiard put it even again, and the game seesawed for the next four minutes with VanLeeuwen, Eva and Bruce all netting five 39-3- 6 footers. Eva added another bucket in close on. a favorite spin move, and VanLeeuwen added two more at the stripe before Escalante made their winning run. IN THE FIRST HALF, the Mustangs were beaten by a good transition game and fell at one point 20-1- 4 on the strength of four consecutive fast breaks. Steve (Bruce) was back there because he was the point, Bruce professed, but neither of the wing men got down fast enough. Later, Bruce offered another reason for his teams failure to contain the Moquis running game. Escalante doesnt haye a football program, he began, so these kids have been playing for the last three months. We usually dont get beat down a court but they were ready. A questionable spot this-yeafor Bruce was the inside game, but the mentor had nothing but praise for VanLeeuwen and Eva this time out. r -2 mm u - ' . Escalante 52 - Dugway 49 It's hard to lose a ballgame you had safely tucked away in your hip pocket. But pockets do get picked. Or rather, they have a few holes in them nobody - 00 m expected to lie there. Up by four with a little more than two minutes remaining in the game, the Mustangs became victims of their own mistakes in allowing Escalante to tie, and eventually win, the ballgame in the waning seconds. Escalarte took advantage of a lazy press at the 1:48 LEADING 49-4mark to pull within two. The Mustangs, however, went into a stall on . floor down the their next rip and, when VanLeeuwen was fouled, things seemed to be well in hand. , Almost. The senior failed to convert on the front end of the bonus but the ball bounced right back into his hands. VanLeeuwen whirled around and found Bruce in backcourt, but his pan sailed over the sophomores head and the Moquis converted to knot the game at 49 apiece. That was the turning point, Bruce explained. If we had controlled the ' ball we could have run down the clock and made them come after us. .WITHOUT THAT OPTION at hand, the Mustangs went directly to . their strength in Eva, who had a team high 20 points. The forward was blocked on an inside move, however, by the Moquis 65 center Allan 5, Bailey. In an attempt to pressure the ball. Bate drew a foul and put Escalantes Mike Griffin at the line. After two timeouts, the guard cooly netted both free throws with 11 seconds left to put the Moquis up by two, 51-4Bruce was fouled bringing the ball upcourt with two seconds showing but the ball Ixninced off the back rim. TRAILING AT THE HALF by four, 28-2VanLeeuwen, who had 11 9. . Jimpiy Vanleuwen banks one in against Escalante defender. 4, t r."T n .T-V- - December 18 - 30, Capitol Theater in Salt Lake. Ballet West presents the Nutcracker Suite. Performances at 7 p.m. nightly, 2 p.m, on Dec. 20, 26, 27, 29, and 30, and one noon performance on Dec. 24 Ticket ppces range from $4 - $15 for matinee performances and $5- - $20 for evening shows. Phone: 533-333- 3. TOMKA $ $ Liddiard battles two Escalante players for a rebound in the Mustang s 1Y Just for. fun! Built Tonka-toug- h Tough steel construction Non toxic paint 49 loss Nov 22 here. MAKE CHRISTMAS AN UNFOR-GETABL- E TIME WITH A SEIKO QUARTZ WATCH FROM BATEMANS set it Jeep rescue vehicle off-ro- ad it Pick-u- p Camper This Friday & Saturday! it Pepsi truck it Dump ' V- - ' " v MsflionsroSgta m vaQGn itan figrr ir W Wm iMUifc Hurry! m . ' truck uwpswsPi) & Quantities Limited iih IAT mm jew 5 NORTH MAIN 882-138- 2 Two great ways to charge This is Tooele Store |