By NICK SLOAN, NJSloan212@gmail.com
A quick note to the Kaw Valley League - you better wake up and prepare for the Piper Pirates boys basketball team.
In a rematch from a close affair in the Panthers Invitational Classic in Paola, Kan., Piper saved the drama for another night as the Pirates crushed Bonner Springs 67-43 on the road.
Piper used pressure defense and smooth transition basketball on offense to pull away from the Braves, winning its sixth-straight game after beginning the year with a close loss to Mill Valley.
Once again, another player stepped up to lead the Pirates in scoring. Vince Eskina scored 13 first half points as the Pirates opened up a cushion early in the second quarter.
After a tight opening six minutes of the game - one that saw the Pirates lead 11-9 - Piper put some distance between Bonner Springs with an 11-3 run to close out the quarter, taking a 22-12 advantage.
Eskina scored five of those points during the run. A three-point play from point guard Calvin Johnson Jr., helped Piper open a six-point lead - the closest Bonner Springs would be the rest of the way.
"I would say (our balance) came from our hard work in the summer," said head coach Steve Wallace, who's guided the Pirates to six wins after the team finished just 2-19 last season. "Our guys are good at realizing who's hot during the game and they find them."
