Even after the last performance, Lucas Jones thinks his team’s defense needs to improve.
That will be a tall order.
The Dickinson Trinity boys basketball team held Mott-Regent to 10 points in the opening half and scored 37 en route to a 70-30 Region 7 win Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus Activities Center.
“We knew we had to step up our defensive game,” Jones said. “We tried doing that and we did. We came out strong in the first quarter … and that definitely played a big role in the game.”
Following up his 20-point performance against Mandaree last week, sophomore forward Noah Sickler came off the bench and scored a game-high 15 points while shooting 7 of 8 from the floor. Junior forward Shawn Stoltz and Jones, a junior guard, each added 11 points - Stoltz was a perfect 5 for 5 shooting with a 3-pointer and Jones was 4 of 9 while going 3 for 5 from 3-point range. Sophomore forward Easton Walby followed up his 27-point game against Mandaree with nine points off the bench on 4 of 7 shooting and a trey.
As a team, Trinity (13-4, 7-1 Region 7) shot 31 of 50 (62 percent) from the floor.
“We executed the sets that we wanted to,” Trinity head coach Gregg Grinsteinner said, “and it was probably the most complete game we’ve played all year.”
Jones, who tallied six of Trinity’s 23 assists and four of the Titans’ 18 steals, said his team’s offensive balance was important.
“We don’t really rely on one guy, and when we play together we’re better that way,” Jones said. “We can give it up and then get it back so we get easier shots. It just makes us better.”
But maybe the most impressive numbers from the Titans’ perspective is what they held the Wildfire to. Sean Hertz led the team with eight points while making 2 of 8 shots and 1 of 2 3-pointers while Brett Mesmer shot 3 of 13 for seven points.
As a team, Mott-Regent went 11 for 40 (27.5 percent).
“They can shoot it well and shoot it inside well,” Stoltz said. “We had to play a great game, and I think we did that. I think that was our best defensive game all year.”
Grinsteinner said Mott-Regent is an athletic team, so coming out hot was important to try and take the Wildfire out of any sort of rhythm.
“We guarded 84 feet and took away a lot of things that they did,” Grinsteinner said. “We didn’t give up an offensive rebound in the first half, and I think that’s a first for us this year. I thought our kids really focused on the offensive end.”
The Titans did just that outscored Mott-Regent 26-7 in the opening frame.
“Our defense, that’s what makes our offense go,” Stoltz said. “We like to push it in transition, and defense definitely helps that. Defense is our kickstart.”
After his main contributors hadn’t played in over a week, Grinsteinner said his team was anxious to find the court again - and showed energy on both ends of the court to prove it.
“They had a little itch that they wanted to get out there,” Grinsteinner said. “We had a little pep in our step tonight. I thought our kids had been getting beat around a lot, but they came in and really executed well. They were focused and just had a lot of fun playing tonight.”
MR 7 3 8 11
DT 26 11 21 12
MR: Tanner Zentner 4, Brady Wegh 3, Carter Honeyman 3, Chance Roth 3, Brett Mesmer 7, Brody Ambers 2, Sean Hertz 8.
DT: Kendall Jones 2, Benson Kramer 2, Willy Jahner 9, Lucas Jones 11, Shawn Stoltz 11, Easton Walby 9, Noah Sickler 15, Zach Kubas 6, Brock Messer 5.
3-pointers: MR 2 (Honeyman 1, Hertz 1), DT 6 (Jahner 1, L. Jones 3, Stoltz 1, Walby 1). Free throws: MR 6-14, DT 2-4. Total fouls: MR 8, DT 14. Rebounds: MR 20 (Mesmer 6), DT 28 (Messer 5). Assists: MR 4 (Roth 2), DT 23 (L. Jones 6). Steals: MR 14 (Roth 4), DT 18 (L. Jones 4). Blocks: MR 1 (Wegh 1), DT 3 (Messer 2). Turnovers: MR 18, DT 15.
