OCR Text |
Show WiiolmtB Dmps BUM pnnir By KEITH DUNCAN SALT LAKE CITY If you want something bad enough, you can usually get it. Such was the case with the Clearfield Falcons last Monday night in the Special Events Center where they completely destroyed des-troyed Woods Cross in the first round of the 4-A state basketball tournament, 69-48. STARTING BACK in the fall of 1981 , there wasn't a senior or junior on the Falcon club that didn't have collective goals of reaching the state tournament and do well once they were there. And Monday night all their wildest fantasies be- -came realities as their victory turned into the day's biggest rout. It was a close contest until a couple of minutes into the final stanza and that's when Clearfield Clear-field outscored the Wildcats 28-8 and surged into the quarterfinals against Skyline. THE FALCONS were the defending region champions cham-pions until this year and although they had goals of becoming two-time region title holders, it was no secret that they wanted to do well in state once they got there. The Falcons were playing no slouch either. The Wildcats had won their last four games including an impressive season ending stomp over Region Four's campion, Bountiful. They were much taller than the Falcons and clearly a better team than the squad that had been beaten by 1 1 points in Clearfield during the pre-season. BUT THE problem was that no one told Coach Wayne Baker and his crew how much the Clearfield kids wanted to win and do well in the 1982 state tournament. The result was devasting for the Wildcats. Wild-cats. Another sweet tone in the 21 point victory was the dousing of a nasty stigma that Clearfield High basketball bas-ketball teams always peak too soon and never quite get the job done when it comes state tournament time. The Monday night victory on the U. of U. campus certainly silenced all the critics who entered the game with those thoughts. IN THEwinning locker room after the game, Coach Craig Hansen complimented his team for their efforts in playing man to man the way they had and their success in keeping the ball away from Woods Cross' big people. "Our man to man was the key to this victory," said Hansen, "And you also have to credit the way our people were performing after coming off the bench." Hansen was complimentary toward his team, they never lost their composure or rhythm, even when the Cats were making a solid run at them. One of the solid runs took place early in the final quarter when Greg Houskeeper hit a jumper that put Woods Cross in front 42-4 1 . But the go-ahead basket by the Cats ignited a fiery Falcon charge that saw Clearfield notch 12 unanswered points and stream to a 53-42 lead. PART OF the credit for that tremendous outburst goes to Clearfield's 6'4" guard Lane Riggs who almost single-handedly broke the opponent's back. It was his long outside jumper that broke the scoring ice for Clearfield and put his team back into the lead. The next time down the floor, Riggs picked up the basketball at mid-court, got to the foul line and pumped in another jumper. The play that dealt Woods Cross their biggest blow was Rigg's steal and breakaway that finally resulted in a slam dunk. The stuff shot had the Clearfield crowd on their feet. WOODS CROSS' only hope was to hold onto the ball and wait for Clearfield to come back to earth, but they couldn't even do that. Greg Gurr threw the ball away the next time down the court. Clearfield came back and capitalized on a three point play by Mike Rhodes. With the score 63-44, both Baker and Hansen be- gan making substitutions. Junior guard Steve Fir ended the contest on the sweetest tone everwheV- threw a 65 footer that hit its mark, just as the bug " sounded. " TO MANY, the Clearfield victory may Ik : appeared like an upset, but to Hansen and his fc- 1 ' they had no such thoughts. 'T know some peor;: thought we were the underdogs, especially the w Woods Crpss had been winning lately. Butourkii knew they could get the job done and they did," a Hansen. Hansen again noted the play of his team, especi; I ly the man to man defense which he gave all it: credit. "When you hold a team like that, with theb; kids they've got to 48 points, you know yod'veo. Mi some kind of job on defense," said Hansen. year i;D at THE WILDCATS could manage only one offer- '.f sive board the second half as Jeff Schofield and K;it '"" Moosmann played the game of their lives. The Hi Falcons denied the ball to Houskeeper and Richarc lliN1 Johnson all night. Jj Hansen thought it was an advantage having tea Woods Cross earlier in the year. "We had confi- loirity dence that we could beat them again. I don't know if : aki we are a better basketball team physically, but mea-tally mea-tally we are a better basketball team." : .JF, |