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Morris scores 18; Kindig, Stults also tally in double figures
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
ARGOS — J.J. Morris scored 18 points to lead three players in double figures, and the Argos boys basketball team held visiting LaVille scoreless for a span of 11:49 of the second and third quarters in cruising to a 55-25 win at Phil Weybright Gymnasium Tuesday.
Dylan Kindig added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Jake Stults had 10 points for the Dragons, who won their third straight game after a season-opening loss to Bremen and improved to 3-1.
Freshman Collin Czarnecki scored 16 points for the Lancers, who fell to 0-3.
Argos led by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter.
The game was the first between Argos coach Jason Breden and his alma mater. Breden also spent time as an assistant on coach Michael Edison’s staff.
The loss gave LaVille a three-game losing streak for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Ironically, Breden was a senior on that LaVille team.
It also marked the first time LaVille has started a season 0-3 since the 2008-09 season. The 30-point margin of victory was Argos’ largest over LaVille since a 77-44 win over the Lancers on Jan. 29, 1999.
“Far from normal,” Breden said of coaching against Edison. “It’s definitely been a different year. There have been times where I’m on the bench and I look over and it’s like, oh wait, Michael and Jack aren’t there any more. Or in practice, me running the practice by myself as compared to being with those two. It’s just been an adjustment, you know. But I love Argos. I love the Argos community. And I love the place I’ve settled in at.”
Czarnecki hit a 3-pointer with 5:31 left in the half to get LaVille within 15-12. On the ensuing possession, Kindig, Argos’ 6-5 center, swished a 3-pointer from just to the right of the top of the key.
That got the lead back to six and triggered a 26-0 Argos run. LaVille did not score again until there was 1:42 left in the third quarter.
The 3-pointer was the third of Kindig’s career.
“He kept telling me in practices, ‘Run it through the offense,’” Kindig said of Breden’s advice on shot selection. “If I keep getting that look, if they’re sagging off on me, then just pull it. And I’ve taken it once this year, and I knocked it down. I’m going to try to keep looking for it, of course. And yeah, pumping the ball on the inside. He kept telling us, ‘We’ve got a height advantage. Might as well use it.’ … It eventually worked.”
In between, Michael Richard had a steal and a layup, Morris scored on a hesitation drive, Teddy Redinger hit a 3-pointer from the left corner, Morris scored in transition, and Kindig got a layup with five seconds left in the half to make it 29-12.
To start the second half, Stults had a steal and a layup, Kindig scored twice in the post, Stults scored on a driving layup, Morris finished off a Richard lob pass with a layup, and Morris fed Kindig for a layup to make it 41-12.
Czarnecki finally broke the drought with a 17-footer.
LaVille sophomore Lucas Plummer, who came in averaging 13 points per game, was held to three by Argos senior Michael Richard.
“Michael didn’t have the best start to the game,” Breden said. “He missed some bunny layups that he doesn’t necessarily always miss, and I just told him you’re playing a great game still. The steals and deflections he was getting really was a key to our success. And it just goes back to Michael Richard’s tenacity.”
The teams played mirroring switching man-to-man defenses. Argos’ strategy against LaVille’s switching man-to-man was to eschew the screens and simply attack off the dribble. LaVille can’t switch if there are no screens being set. And the 6-6 Morris, 6-5 Kindig and 6-2 Stults had favorable matchups and rarely needed screens to get to the paint.
“Before the game, we didn’t really have a set plan on exactly how we’d attack,” Breden said. “I just said take the matchup as it presents to you. And J.J.’s matchup seemed to be on the perimeter with his ability to put the ball on the floor. And Dylan’s matchup was in the post.”
Argos also won the JV game 28-17 thanks to 10 points from A.J. Mills and nine from freshman Luke Stults. Elijah Osborn had three, and Tem Sanchaitawee, Juan Morate and Nick Grove had two each.
Argos 55, LaVille 25
LAVILLE (25) (0-3)
Lucas Plummer 1 1-2 3, Ross Wagoner 0 0-0 0, Collin Czarnecki 7 0-1 16, Ryan James 0 0-0 0, Collin Allen 0 0-2 0, Connor Henry 0 2-6 2, Owen Smith 1 0-0 2, Garrett Wagoner 1 0-0 2
TEAM: 10 3-13 25
ARGOS (55) (3-1)
Michael Richard 3 0-0 7, Jake Stults 3 4-4 10, J.J. Morris 8 2-2 18, Teddy Redinger 1 0-0 3, Dylan Kindig 6 0-0 13, A.J. Mills 0 0-0 0, Luke Stults 0 0-0 0, Elijah Osborn 0 0-0 0, Kayden Brady 2 0-0 4, Sean Richard 0 0-0 0
TEAM: 23 6-6 55
Three-point field goals:
LaVille 2 (Czarnecki 2),
Argos 3 (Kindig, M. Richard, Redinger)
Total fouls: LaVille 4, Argos 13
Technical foul: M. Richard (ARG), 1:58, first
Turnovers: LaVille 17, Argos 13
Score by quarters
LaVille 6 6 4 9 – 25
Argos 10 19 14 12 – 55
JV: Argos 28, LaVille 17
Watch full game here:
