Mendon’s boys basketball team seemingly couldn’t miss in a 71-51 St. Joseph Valley League road win Friday at Centreville.
Joe Gales was 8-for-13 from the field, including 2-from-6 from behind the arc, to lead Mendon with 22 points (20 in the first half). Zach Darmofal provided the insurance policy with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting.
The Hornets (4-2, 2-0 SJV) shot 53.8 percent for the game, with Marcus Craft adding eight points, Parker Cupp putting up six, and Kyle Wiswell (five), Zach Higgins (four), Elijah Kelpper (three), Logan Matthews (two) and Logan Slaughter (one) registering points as well.
Leading the Bulldogs (3-4, 1-1 SJV) were Matt Clements (16 points) and DeMarco Taylor (14), with Jon Peckinpaugh adding seven.
Mendon’s Zach Darmofal and Centreville’s DeMarco Taylor go at it Friday.
(Photo by Chris Carpenter)
“Mendon came out and played a good solid man-to-man the entire game,” Centreville coach Corey Smith said. “We didn’t take care of the ball at all. Lazy passes and being indecisive with the ball will kill you, period. “
Smith said it was an even game in the second half, but the 44-25 halftime deficit was just too much to overcome.
“Our guys understood the magnitude of this game,” he added. “Mendon was co-leader in the conference last year and we know to get to their level we need to be able to compete and win against them. We will learn and be better prepared next time.”
Darmofal also had six rebounds and four steals for Mendon, Wiswell finished with five and Slaughter grabbed four boards and had three steals. Gales added three blocks, and both Darmofal and Craft registered five assists.