The Olton Mustang’s varsity basketball team throttled the New Home Leopards Tuesday morning, 54-35, to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Wildcat Classic.
With the win, the Mustangs improved to 2-0 in tournament play on the week.
Brady Azam dropped in a put-back, drawing an andone foul on Colby Cook. He converted the free throw to put the Mustangs in front, 3- 0. Kwade Stewart dropped in a lay-up to get the Leopards on the board, but Azam scored a lay-up off of an inbound play to stretch their lead to, 5-2. With 4;38 remaining in the first quarter, Sebastian Sparkman hit Chris Cabrera for a lay-up and Sparkman followed it up with a jumper from the left elbow to push their lead to, 9-2.
Sparkman kept it going as he hit Matt Flores on the fast-break for a lay-up and Alex Green followed it up with a steal, dishing the outlet pass ahead to Sparkman on the fast-break for a layup, extending their lead to, 13-2, with 2:37 remaining in the quarter. Cabrera kept the run going with a lay-up off of the assist from Sparkman, but Cook answered with a three from the left elbow, off of an assist from Kellan Carrasco, trimming the lead to, 15-5.
Wyatt Jones dropped in a lay-up for New Home, but with time winding down in the quarter, Sparkman drained a half-court buzzer beater to stretch their lead to, 18-7, going into quarter number two.
Flores opened the second frame with a jumper in the lane and Azam followed it up with a lay-up off of the inbound play under the basket, stretching their lead to, 22-7, with 4:19 to play in the first half. Sparkman dropped in a floater from the free-throw line off of the assist from Zayden Falcon and he followed it up with a drive through the lane for a lay-up, making the score, 26-7, with just under two minutes to play in the half.
In the closing seconds of the half, Green was fouled on an attempt by Cook, his second. After the play Green was called for a technical foul. Green made both of his free throws and Zack Armes made both of the technical free throws for New Home, as Olton took a, 28-9, lead into the locker room at halftime.
Cabrera opened the second half with a lay-up and Sparkman followed it up with a steal, dishing it ahead to Flores in transition for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 32-9. With 4:41 to play in the third quarter, Cabrera dropped in a lay-up off of an assist from Flores, but on the other end, Armes drew a shooting foul on Cabrera, earning a trip to the line. He knocked down both shots to trim the lead to, 34-11, with 3:26 to play in the third.
Sparkman dished an outlet pass to Green for a fastbreak lay-up, as Olton took a time out with 2:32 to play in the third. Out of the break, Armes was fouuled on an attempt by Sparkman, his second of the game. Armes converted both shots at the line, and on New Home’s next possession, Cook dropped in a layup, drawing an and-one foul on Azam, his fourth. Cook missed the free throw, leaving the score, 36-15.
With 1:35 to play in the quarter, Sparkman knocked down a jumper from the right elbow, but Carrasco answered with a lay-up to make the score, 38- 17. Green drove the lane, dumping the ball off to Cabrera for a lay-up to push their lead to, 40- 17. Sparkman would close out the third quarter with a jumper in the lane to make the score, 42-17, heading into the final quarter of play.
Armes opened the fourth quarter with a three from the top of the key, but Sparkman answered with a pull-up jumper in the lane to extend their lead to, 44-20. Jones grabbed a steal in their own end and dropped in a lay-up for New Home, but Flores answered with a lay-up on the other end, making the score, 46-22, with 6:17 left to play.
Cook nailed a three from the left elbow, but Sparkman responded with a pull-up jumper in the lane and Flores followed it up with a lay-up off of a New Home Turnover to push their lead to, 50-25, with 5:23 to play. Cook drove the middle for a lay-up for the Leopards, as Olton took a time out with 3:48 to play. Out of the break, Cook dropped in a put-back off of a miss by Armes, making the score, 50-29. New Home took a time out with 2:38 to play, and out of the break, Green banked in a jumper in the lane to make the score, 5229.
Armes knocked down a floater in the lane, but Sparkman, on the other end, drove to the basket kicking the ball to Cabrera for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 54-31. Armes and Evan Martinez scored back-to-back buckets to close out the game, as Olton took the contest, 54-35.
The Mustangs were led by Sparkman, who tallied 19 points and was one of three Mustangs in doublefigures scoring. He was joined by Cabrera, who netted 12 points and Flores who chipped in 10 points.
Azam added seven points and Green contributed six points.