By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

INDEPENDENCE, Ore.–  It didn’t take long, but once they got into their groove, the Dayton Boys Basketball didn’t look back against rival-Amity in the PacWest Conference League Playoff Title Game Saturday night at Central High School.

Trailing in ultimately their 53-31 victory over the Warriors 11-10 all the way back in the second quarter, the Pirates used a 16-4 run going into halftime to grab a 26-15 lead going into the second half.  At about the time they pushed their lead to five, points Trae Wall, the squad started to really wake it up and cranking it up in the Title Bout.  Making Dayton look like primed playoff Pirate basketball just in time for the State Playoffs next weekend.

“We started hitting our shots, we started passing the ball a little bit more. We started driving and got lay-ins, I think that’s what set us apart from them.  We kept pressing, got a couple of steals early and kept our momentum going.  After we got up about five points, we kept the throttle down,” Wall said. “You gotta take it one step at a time, you can’t take anyone for granted.”

Consistency hurt Amity, who’s ability to be patient and pass the ball around helped them stay within reach of the Pirates initially before getting jumbled up in the second quarter.  Something that was nice to see now in the league playoffs instead of next Saturday with their season on the line.

“Just moving the ball, pushing it.  We knew it was their weakness and I think that’s why we started off well.  Just consistency and doing it throughout the game and not just in the first quarter,” Amity’s George Meeker said.  “We have to win now…no more of these mess-ups.  We got to come focused and go out and win a game.”

Meeker finished with eight points, Colby Nyseth led the Warriors with nine points in the defeat.  Wall finished with 14 points, Lane Garrison contributed 12 points in the win for the Pirates Saturday.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald