DARLINGTON - With a former assistant coach sitting on the other side of the bench, Darlington sophomore Cole McDonald wanted to put on a show.
McDonald scored a game-high 21 points to help the Redbirds roll to a 71-51 win over Pecatonica Thursday night.
"Everyone wanted to win, especially since it was against our old assistant coach," McDonald said. "We wanted to put on a good show since everyone came back for the holiday."
With a big crowd on hand, Pecatonica boys basketball coach Matt Fink's homecoming didn't go the way he planned. Fink served as an assistant coach at Darlington before taking over the head coaching position at Pecatonica.
"It's always fun to come back and play," Fink said. "You want to win and want your kids to have success. We will learn more from our losses than our wins."
Darlington (4-5, 2-3 SWAL) shot 50 percent in the game (28 of 56) and led by as many as 26 points after Cody Hardyman's layup with 5 minutes, 50 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. The Redbirds were aggressive attacking the basket and getting the ball down low to Griffin Heinberg and Michael Ruf who each missed the last game due to illness.
"When (the Redbirds) shoot the ball that well, they are a tough team to beat," Fink said.
Darlington also out-rebounded the Vikings 30-18 and had nine offensive rebounds.
"We tried to neutralize them," Fink said. "We just couldn't do everything to keep them off the glass."
The Redbirds jumped out to a 9-2 first quarter lead sparked by Cody Hardyman's 3-pointer and Cade Hardyman's layup. Pecatonica (3-5, 0-3 Six Rivers East) battled back with freshman Brooks Chandler and junior Zach Shilling each burying 3-pointers to slice the Redbirds' lead to 15-12.
Heinberg scored down low on two straight possessions to start the second quarter. McDonald knocked down a 3-pointer about midway through the second quarter to give the Redbirds an insurmountable 27-15 lead. Cody Hardyman scored 13 points and Heinberg added 11 points for the Redbirds.
"You need three scorers in high school in case someone has an off night," Darlington coach Mike Hopkins said. "In some of the games we have lost this year it's been because Cole McDonald has been the only one scoring."
Hopkins said Heinberg and Ruf had been stepping up in the post before they missed a game due to an illness.
Chandler scored a team-high 15 points to lead the Vikings. Senior Dillon Conwell scored 11 points and sophomore Drew Schliem and senior Jon Hendrickson each added nine.
"We have been talking to him (Chandler) about driving to the basket more and drawing fouls," Fink said. "He did that tonight. He was attacking the basket a lot more. We just went through too many droughts. On a night when we can get Brooks and Drew scoring, we will be a tough team to beat."
The Redbirds put the game away with a 10-0 run to start the third quarter. Heinberg scored down low and McDonald drilled a 3-pointer with 6:35 left in the frame to give the Redbirds a 38-25 lead. McDonald then scored on a layup and Andrew Kelly scored on a putback. Cody Hardyman later knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Redbirds a 54-34 lead.
"In the second half, we played much better defense," Hopkins said. "That is why we are a much better team now."
McDonald agrees with his coach.
"(The Vikings) are a scrappy team," he said. "We knew we had to box out or they would kill us on the boards. Our intensity is the thing that pretty much put us over the top."
McDonald scored a game-high 21 points to help the Redbirds roll to a 71-51 win over Pecatonica Thursday night.
"Everyone wanted to win, especially since it was against our old assistant coach," McDonald said. "We wanted to put on a good show since everyone came back for the holiday."
With a big crowd on hand, Pecatonica boys basketball coach Matt Fink's homecoming didn't go the way he planned. Fink served as an assistant coach at Darlington before taking over the head coaching position at Pecatonica.
"It's always fun to come back and play," Fink said. "You want to win and want your kids to have success. We will learn more from our losses than our wins."
Darlington (4-5, 2-3 SWAL) shot 50 percent in the game (28 of 56) and led by as many as 26 points after Cody Hardyman's layup with 5 minutes, 50 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. The Redbirds were aggressive attacking the basket and getting the ball down low to Griffin Heinberg and Michael Ruf who each missed the last game due to illness.
"When (the Redbirds) shoot the ball that well, they are a tough team to beat," Fink said.
Darlington also out-rebounded the Vikings 30-18 and had nine offensive rebounds.
"We tried to neutralize them," Fink said. "We just couldn't do everything to keep them off the glass."
The Redbirds jumped out to a 9-2 first quarter lead sparked by Cody Hardyman's 3-pointer and Cade Hardyman's layup. Pecatonica (3-5, 0-3 Six Rivers East) battled back with freshman Brooks Chandler and junior Zach Shilling each burying 3-pointers to slice the Redbirds' lead to 15-12.
Heinberg scored down low on two straight possessions to start the second quarter. McDonald knocked down a 3-pointer about midway through the second quarter to give the Redbirds an insurmountable 27-15 lead. Cody Hardyman scored 13 points and Heinberg added 11 points for the Redbirds.
"You need three scorers in high school in case someone has an off night," Darlington coach Mike Hopkins said. "In some of the games we have lost this year it's been because Cole McDonald has been the only one scoring."
Hopkins said Heinberg and Ruf had been stepping up in the post before they missed a game due to an illness.
Chandler scored a team-high 15 points to lead the Vikings. Senior Dillon Conwell scored 11 points and sophomore Drew Schliem and senior Jon Hendrickson each added nine.
"We have been talking to him (Chandler) about driving to the basket more and drawing fouls," Fink said. "He did that tonight. He was attacking the basket a lot more. We just went through too many droughts. On a night when we can get Brooks and Drew scoring, we will be a tough team to beat."
The Redbirds put the game away with a 10-0 run to start the third quarter. Heinberg scored down low and McDonald drilled a 3-pointer with 6:35 left in the frame to give the Redbirds a 38-25 lead. McDonald then scored on a layup and Andrew Kelly scored on a putback. Cody Hardyman later knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Redbirds a 54-34 lead.
"In the second half, we played much better defense," Hopkins said. "That is why we are a much better team now."
McDonald agrees with his coach.
"(The Vikings) are a scrappy team," he said. "We knew we had to box out or they would kill us on the boards. Our intensity is the thing that pretty much put us over the top."
