Ottawa Daily Times
Plano 79, Sandwich 59
At Plano, the Reapers outscored Sandwich 20-10 in the first quarter and extended that lead in every quarter before settling for the 20-point win.
Matt Priesman netted 20 points and Alex Jensen added 19 for Plano (9-11, 3-4), which expanded its lead to 39-25 after two quarters and 65-45 after three by shooting at a 51.6 percent clip for the game to Sandwich's 40.4.
Obina Agamo grabbed 10 rebounds to lead a 34-26 Reaper edge on the glass.
Pacing the Indians (8-9, 3-3) were Lance Futrell with 21 points and Mike Meyer with 18.
SANDWICH (59) -- Clairmont 1 0-0 3, Roach 2 0-0 4, Heibel 0 0-0 0, Weinlader 2 0-0 4, Quintanilla 0 1-2 1, McDowell 1 0-0 2, Meyer 7 4-6 18, Futrell 7 6-6 21, Van Pelt 1 0-0 2, Weismiller 2 0-0 4, Ritchie 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 11-15 79.
PLANO (79) -- Campisi 1 0-0 2, Kebbeh 0 0-0 0, Nelson 2 1-2 5, Bott 3 0-0 8, Priesman 7 3-3 20, Green 1 0-0 2, Diaz 0 0-1 0, Loux 0 0-0 0, Jensen 8 0-0 19, Agomo 4 0-0 8, Haws 0 0-0 0, Brown 4 1-4 9, Smith 2 2-2 6. Totals 32 7-9 79. Sandwich 10 15 20 14 -- 59
Plano (9-11, 3-4) 20 19 26 14 -- 79
3-point baskets -- Sandwich 2 (Clairmont, Futrell), Plano 8 (Priesman 3, Jensen 3, Bott 2).
Seneca 50, Lisle 34
At Lisle, the Lions tried to hold the ball on the state-ranked Irish, who led just 5-3 after one quarter. However, Seneca (19-0, 7-0 in the Interstate Eight) was able to widen the gap to 18-9 at the half and hung on for the win.
Garrett Callahan led the Irish with 21 points and five assists, while Robert Rexroade contributed 15 points and a team-best eight rebounds.
"They tried to hold the ball on us early," said Seneca coach Doug Evans, "but we were able to move out in the second quarter and took control of the game from there."
PLANO — For Plano's Matt Priesman, it was worth the wait to come into the game late in the first quarter.
Priesman had been struggling with his offense the last several games. But starting the game on the bench seemed to energize the senior guard, who led the Reapers to an easy 79-59 victory over their Route 34 rival Sandwich.
"This is the first game (Priesman) hasn't started for me since I've been here," said Plano coach Nathan Spriggs. "He was a little disappointed, but I told him if he felt he deserved to start, go out and prove it on the floor. He played well in every area tonight."
The victory lifted Plano's overall record to 7-13, a record which includes two forfeited losses for using an ineligible player.
Alex Jensen nearly recorded a triple-double for the Reapers. He had 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. He also had three steals and two blocks in a superb all-around performance.
Sandwich, which had its four-game win streak snapped, was lethargic in the first half in its offensive movement and passing. The Indians found themselves down 26-10 early in the second period after Priesman scored on two successive fast breaks.
Behind Lance Futrell's scoring, Sandwich scored nine straight points to get back in the game, down 26-19. Futrell tallied 11 of his game-high 21 points in the second stanza.
The Reapers called time out and regrouped. They closed out the half on a 9-2 run as Will Brown converted a three-point play, Priesman also had a three-point play, and Priesman connected on a 3-pointer off a Jensen feed.
"Plano just seemed to want (the victory) more than we did," said Sandwich coach Chris Johnson. "We need to get back on track quickly and let this game be an anomoly."
Plano got a big lift from forward Obina Agomo, who as a transfer was playing in his third game after becoming eligible. Agomo scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds, complimenting Brown near the basket. Brown had nine points, six rebounds, and five assists.
"We got great defensive rebounding from the entire team," noted Spriggs. "Will, Obina, and Alex owned the glass, and when Sandwich missed their shots, we pushed the ball up and converted at the other end."
Two statistics explain the lopsided Plano triumph. The Reapers went 8-for-17 from behind the arc, while the Indians struggled with 2-of-12 shooting. And the Reapers had 20 assists of their 32 baskets, while Sandwich had only four assists.
Plano blew the game wide open in the third quarter behind two treys each by Priesman and Jensen, and another by Brook Bott.
"We had contributions from a lot of players," said Jensen. "We were more determined tonight than we have been. When I passed the ball off, guys were making their shots."
Center Mike Meyer had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field for Sandwich, which is now 8-10 overall and 3-4 in the Interstate Eight Conference.
The Reapers have the unenviable task of playing Lisle and Seneca the next two games. Those two conference foes are ranked fifth and first in the state, respectively.
"If we get two good practices in and come to the Lisle game as determined as we were tonight, I think we can steal one," said Jensen.
Whatever the outcome of the next two games, the Reapers appear to be stepping up their game in the second half of the season.