Sports
Broncos suffer rude awakening
Brendan Hoover
OKLAHOMA CITY--The Mustang Broncos rode a two-game winning streak and a 2-1 Metro Athletic Conference record into Friday’s Court of Dreams game against Westmoore, a team they lost to by only three points in their first game of the season.
The game had all the makings of sweet revenge for head coach Alan Green on his 40th birthday.
But the dream of a third straight victory on the pristine floor of the Oklahoma City/New Orleans Hornets’ did not come true, despite a valiant fourth-quarter comeback, and the Broncos fell to Westmoore a second time, 63-55.
“I’m going to quit saying we’re a young team, five games into the season,” Green said. “We have to get better. It’s my job to do that. We could have gone from being completely embarrassed on this huge floor to a great comeback.”
As the fourth quarter got underway, Jaguar senior Kyle Worcester converted one of two free throws after a foul by junior guard Shane Carroll, giving Westmoore its largest lead of the game at 50-31. Worcester hit four threes against the Bronco defense in the first half and had a game-high 15 points, quelling any shred of momentum Mustang could muster.
The rout it seemed was on.
But the Broncos would not give up so easy.
Senior forward David Balenseifen assisted to junior forward Steven Anderson for two at 7:16, and Carroll hit a three-point field goal at 6:54 to make the score 36-50.
After two straight traveling calls on Westmoore, Balenseifen tipped in a Carroll miss to make it 39-50.
Green called time out after the basket as the Bronco faithful cheered in the cavernous Ford Center, urging their team on.
Then Junior Auston Davidson made a three from the corner with 4:01 to play, and the Broncos were in the middle of a 11-0 run, making the score 50-42.
Westmoore junior Matt Mobley picked off a Bronco pass and went the distance for a layup to put the lead back to 10 points, 52-42. Mobley had 15 points for the Jaguars.
Anderson was then credited with a basket after a goaltending call on Westmoore with 3:30 to play, cutting the lead back to eight at 52-44, but two straight Jaguars baskets pushed the lead to 12 with just under three minutes to go.
Senior forward Kevin Kerner hit a three from the wing at 2:47 and the Jaguar lead was nine, 56-47.
Then Anderson blocked a Westmoore shot and the Broncos came back down the floor. Davidson missed a three and the Jaguars pulled down the rebound after going over Balenseifen’s back with no foul called.
Following a Westmoore time-out, Mobley made two free throws on Davidson’s fourth foul, making the score 58-47. Westmoore was in the bonus for almost the entire fourth quarter.
Anderson scored on an inside layup and Westmoore made two more free throws to make it 49-60 with 1:04 to play.
Then Carroll grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a three from the top of the key to pull the Broncos within eight, 60-52.
Sophomore guard Graham Faulkner nailed a three from the wing with 24 seconds remaining to cut the lead to five, 60-55.
“He shoots the ball with no fear, that’s why I put him in there, for some offense,” Green said.
Mustang fouled on the ensuing play to stop the clock and Westmoore made two more free throws. Faulkner missed a three with eight seconds to play and Westmoore hit one last free throw after a Bronco foul to seal the victory.
The Broncos had come back from down 19 points with less than 8:00 to play, but made too much work for themselves after falling into a 36-17 halftime hole.
A dispirited Green later said the game was a tale of two halves.
“That’s as bad a first half as I’ve seen us play,” he said. “An extremely poor first half and a great second. When you dig yourself a hole it’s hard to get out,” he said.
The Broncos scored only 10 first quarter points and seven in the second.
“You just have to learn from that and get better,” Green said.
Carroll and Balenseifen both finished with 12 points for the game. Faulkner scored 11 off the bench. Davidson fouled out, scoring six points. Anderson finished with five points. Kerner had five points for the game.
Junior Austin Feuerborn scored four points, having fouled out in the third quarter after a blocking call and a technical foul for bumping into a Westmoore player. Green questioned both calls, saying any contact was inadvertent.
The Broncos are in action next Jan. 5 at home against Edmond North.
Broncos suffer rude awakening
Brendan Hoover
OKLAHOMA CITY--The Mustang Broncos rode a two-game winning streak and a 2-1 Metro Athletic Conference record into Friday’s Court of Dreams game against Westmoore, a team they lost to by only three points in their first game of the season.
The game had all the makings of sweet revenge for head coach Alan Green on his 40th birthday.
But the dream of a third straight victory on the pristine floor of the Oklahoma City/New Orleans Hornets’ did not come true, despite a valiant fourth-quarter comeback, and the Broncos fell to Westmoore a second time, 63-55.
“I’m going to quit saying we’re a young team, five games into the season,” Green said. “We have to get better. It’s my job to do that. We could have gone from being completely embarrassed on this huge floor to a great comeback.”
As the fourth quarter got underway, Jaguar senior Kyle Worcester converted one of two free throws after a foul by junior guard Shane Carroll, giving Westmoore its largest lead of the game at 50-31. Worcester hit four threes against the Bronco defense in the first half and had a game-high 15 points, quelling any shred of momentum Mustang could muster.
The rout it seemed was on.
But the Broncos would not give up so easy.
Senior forward David Balenseifen assisted to junior forward Steven Anderson for two at 7:16, and Carroll hit a three-point field goal at 6:54 to make the score 36-50.
After two straight traveling calls on Westmoore, Balenseifen tipped in a Carroll miss to make it 39-50.
Green called time out after the basket as the Bronco faithful cheered in the cavernous Ford Center, urging their team on.
Then Junior Auston Davidson made a three from the corner with 4:01 to play, and the Broncos were in the middle of a 11-0 run, making the score 50-42.
Westmoore junior Matt Mobley picked off a Bronco pass and went the distance for a layup to put the lead back to 10 points, 52-42. Mobley had 15 points for the Jaguars.
Anderson was then credited with a basket after a goaltending call on Westmoore with 3:30 to play, cutting the lead back to eight at 52-44, but two straight Jaguars baskets pushed the lead to 12 with just under three minutes to go.
Senior forward Kevin Kerner hit a three from the wing at 2:47 and the Jaguar lead was nine, 56-47.
Then Anderson blocked a Westmoore shot and the Broncos came back down the floor. Davidson missed a three and the Jaguars pulled down the rebound after going over Balenseifen’s back with no foul called.
Following a Westmoore time-out, Mobley made two free throws on Davidson’s fourth foul, making the score 58-47. Westmoore was in the bonus for almost the entire fourth quarter.
Anderson scored on an inside layup and Westmoore made two more free throws to make it 49-60 with 1:04 to play.
Then Carroll grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a three from the top of the key to pull the Broncos within eight, 60-52.
Sophomore guard Graham Faulkner nailed a three from the wing with 24 seconds remaining to cut the lead to five, 60-55.
“He shoots the ball with no fear, that’s why I put him in there, for some offense,” Green said.
Mustang fouled on the ensuing play to stop the clock and Westmoore made two more free throws. Faulkner missed a three with eight seconds to play and Westmoore hit one last free throw after a Bronco foul to seal the victory.
The Broncos had come back from down 19 points with less than 8:00 to play, but made too much work for themselves after falling into a 36-17 halftime hole.
A dispirited Green later said the game was a tale of two halves.
“That’s as bad a first half as I’ve seen us play,” he said. “An extremely poor first half and a great second. When you dig yourself a hole it’s hard to get out,” he said.
The Broncos scored only 10 first quarter points and seven in the second.
“You just have to learn from that and get better,” Green said.
Carroll and Balenseifen both finished with 12 points for the game. Faulkner scored 11 off the bench. Davidson fouled out, scoring six points. Anderson finished with five points. Kerner had five points for the game.
Junior Austin Feuerborn scored four points, having fouled out in the third quarter after a blocking call and a technical foul for bumping into a Westmoore player. Green questioned both calls, saying any contact was inadvertent.
The Broncos are in action next Jan. 5 at home against Edmond North.
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