HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: Behind Dale's 20 and Muldoon's 15, Bobcats pull away from Bonner Springs

By NICK SLOAN
nick@kansascitykansan.com

BASEHOR, KAN. ---- Playing just its second game in about two weeks, the Basehor-Linwood Bobcats boys team took a while to pull away from Bonner Springs on Friday night.

But a 20-4 run in the third quarter got the job done, as the Bobcats remained undefeated after winning 66-58.

Jack Dale's 20 points led the way and Pat Muldoon's 15 points contributed mightily to the victory.

However, it was Basehor's seventh man on the court that was a key part of the 20-3 run.

Nick Fisher's five points in the run helped Basehor-Linwood extend a 36-30 lead to a 41-33 lead. His break away dunk gave Basehor-Linwood its largest lead at 38-30.

Following a Bonner Springs three-pointer that cut the lead down to 38-33, Fisher calmly drained a big-time three that kept the Braves away from the lead.

"He brings confidence," head coach Mike McBride said of Fisher. "He grew up tonight. He had a bad first half and a great second half. That showed he grew up some."

Ben Hazel, one of those unsung heroes for the team, hit a big three-pointer to extend the lead to 46-33 in the third quarter.

While Bonner Springs chipped the lead down to 9 points multiple times in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats held Bonner Springs at bay most of the way after a tough first half.

Unlike the first game where the Bobcats put away Bonner Springs relatively early, the hot Braves put up a fight in the first half.

Bonner Springs overcame an early deficit and used an 11-4 run in the second quarter to grab the lead. Basehor-Linwood led at halftime by just one point at 28-27.

But after the Braves took a 29-28 lead early in the second half, the run began.

Three pointers from Jahron McPherson and Dale kick-started the run to turn a 30-30 tie into a 36-30 lead. The Bobcats defensive intensity also improved in the second half, forcing turnovers and holding the Braves to just 10 points in the third quarter.

"I was very happy the way we played in the second half," McBride said.

Basehor-Linwood, since its triumphant victory against Park Hill in the Basehor-Linwood Invitational final, has played just two games since that Saturday night win.

The schedule heats back up beginning next Tuesday against Piper. The Bobcats will play five games in the next two weeks.

"We just have to get better every single night," McBride said.