By By MICHAEL BASHARA / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN -- The Buchanan Bucks boys basketball started out the 2003-04 campaign with a big 78-54 win over White Pigeon Tuesday night.
The game started slowly for both teams with White Pigeon scoring first and holding an early lead. Midway through the first period the score was tied 8-8. In the final three minutes the Bucks outscored White Pigeon 9-4.
Most of the scoring punch came from Gordon Bryant who led all scorers with 25 points on the night. Although he scored in every period, Bryant's big quarter was the first.
The second quarter saw the Buchanan press frustrate White Pigeon as the Bucks outscored the Chiefs 18-7.
Tony Robinson, Karl Schmidt and Bryant all scored in the second period. This gave Buchanan a comfortable 35-19 lead at halftime.
The third period saw White Pigeon come out with a little full-court pressure of its own, causing the Bucks to turn the ball over a little too easily.
White Pigeon cut the lead to as little as four points, at 44-40, with seconds to play in the quarter. Buchanan scored the final points of the quarter to enter the fourth quarter with a 46-40 lead.
The final period saw the Bucks score both early and often as they outscore White Pigeon 32-14. Buchanan was helped by two technical fouls called for slapping the backboard, a technical foul on the White Pigeon bench, and another basket that was scored when a player grabbed the net.
Jordan Lee, who shot 10-of-12 from the line, and Zach Bonham who shot 5-of-6 from line made sure the technical fouls paid off for Buchanan.
Buchanan dressed 13 players Tuesday night. All 13 players played and 12 scored.
The junior varsity game was also won by Buchanan, 46-26. P.J. Pollock led they way for the junior Bucks with 17 points. Jeff Kyles added nine points and Taylor Johnson scored eight points.
The Bucks are next in action on Saturday night at Lake Michigan Catholic with the freshmen game starting at 4:30 p.m.
Buchanan………78
White Pigeon….54
Buchanan: Jordan Lee 1 10-12 12, Rodney Tembo 0 2-2 2, Brian Shannon 1 0-1 2, Quinton Buish 2 1-3 5, DuJuan Bennett 1 0-2 2, Brandon Kyles 0 0-0 0, Jacob Brown 1 2-2 4, Gordon Bryant 11 3-1 25, Jared Rusher 1 0-4 2, Karl Schmidt 2 2-2 6, Raylin Hinds 1 0-1 2, Zach Bonham 0 5-6 5. Totals: 25 25-40 78
White Pigeon: Louie Harrington 0 1-2 1, Simon Cholometes 0 1-2 1, Giles Miller 4 1-3 10, Nathan Saunders 0 0-0 0, Ross Yoder 3 2-2 9, Troy Niblock 2 4-7 8, Lee Nihart 0 0-0 0, Ryan McFall 0 0-0 0, Adam Hillman 0 0-1 0, Michael Schmeling 7 0-0 14, Daniel Schutter 1 0-1 2. Totals: 17 8-18 54
Buchanan 17 18 11 32--78
White Pigeon 12 7 21 14--54
3-point shooting: Buchanan 3 (Bryant 2, Robinson), White Pigeon 2 (Miller, Yoder). Team fouls (fouled out): Buchanan 21 (none), White Pigeon 24 (Yoder). Team records: Buchanan 1-0, White Pigeon 0-1