Dogs on cruise control

By Gene Schallenberg
Staff Reporter

ANDERSON January 07, 2009 01:04 am

— Using an aggressive defensive effort, the second-ranked New Waverly Bulldogs were able to jump out to an explosive lead and never looked back Tuesday. In its first district road game, New Waverly looked right at home, rolling past the Anderson-Shiro Owls 79-30.
“Our goal now is to keep the intensity as high as we can possibly get it,” New Waverly head coach Bill Goffney said. “We did the little things. We pushed the ball up and down the floor as quickly as possible. The guys did a good job of pushing it and sharing the ball like they normally do.”
After Owls guard Travis Tomkiuis laid the ball in for the game’s first points, the Bulldogs (2-0 in District 21-2A, 15-3 overall) started to apply their smothering defense and closed out the first quarter with a 26-5 run.
Despite holding a big lead, the Dogs didn’t let up and continued to get into the passing lanes. New Waverly allowed just one field goal in the second quarter, a midrange jumper that Sloan Sechelski banked in to make it a 28-9 game.
The Bulldogs were able to get plenty of transition baskets in the latter part of the second quarter and didn’t allow much on defense to go into the break with a 43-12 halftime lead.
New Waverly opened the third quarter scoring 16 of the quarter’s first 20 points. Senior Joseph Carrington capped off the run with a monstrous dunk, which sent the crowd into a frenzy.
The Owls then started to hit some shots. Tomkiuis drilled a 3-pointer with a little more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter to make it 59-19. Anderson-Shiro closed out the quarter with a 9-5 run.
Taking a 66-25 into the fourth quarter, Goffney gave his reserves some playing time. Sophomore Arthur Reece scored seven points in the final quarter.
Junior X’Zavious Harrison credited the lopsided win to the Bulldogs’ stellar play on defense. New Waverly totaled 18 steals on the day.
“It was all about getting our intensity up to the level it was last year,” Harrison said. “We practice hard every day. We’re just trying to improve every game.”
Three Bulldogs scored in double figures. Harrison led New Waverly with 14 points. Junior Kyren Watts and Carrington each scored 12.
The Bulldogs return to action on Friday at home against Trinity. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.