No slowing down LeFlore
Otis Hughley knows one thing for sure today.
His LeFlore (Ala.) Rattlers have patience in surplus. The Rattlers endured the slowdown tactics of Arlington Country Day (Fla.) to dominate the second half in a 40-16 victory last night at the Iolani Classic.
LeFlore center DeMarcus Cousins, a 6-foot-11 junior, powered his way to 14 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots in a contest short on excitement and long on chess-like moves.
"That's the ultimate level of respect a coach can pay your team," Hughley said of his counterpart, ACD coach Rex Morgan. "It's a tribute to what people feel about your potential."
Nick Williams added nine points for the run-and-gun Rattlers (12-0), who won last year's tournament but have 13 new players this season.
The Apaches had a blueprint for victory. Keeping at least three players above the foul line, ACD worked minutes off the clock with each possession and was within 7-6 after R.J. Wright hit a layup shortly before the end of the first quarter.
The Rattlers, up 13-10 at the half, refused to get rattled by Morgan's strategy. Starting the second half, they attacked ACD's 2-3 zone with DeMarcus Cousins for a low-post basket, then got a follow shot from the junior center for an 18-14 lead. Cousins then delivered an inside-out pass to Daruis Andrews for a 3-pointer from the corner, and the Rattlers had a seven-point lead.
Hughley switched his Rattlers from a man-to-man to a 1-2-2 zone with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, and the move paid off. ACD didn't make another shot for the rest of the quarter, while DeMarcus Cousins scored on a three-point play on a fast break, and James Buford scored underneath for a 26-14 Rattlers lead.
LeFlore turned the tables on ACD by spreading the floor and holding the ball to start the fourth stanza. After a minute, ACD broke out of its 2-3 zone and went to a man, but LeFlore attacked immediately. After DeMarcus Cousins hit a pair of free throws and Demario James hustled for a follow bucket, the Rattlers had a comfortable 30-16 lead with 5 minutes to play.
Moments later, DeMarcus Cousins followed a blocked shot on the offensive end with a mid-air slam dunk to give a restless crowd the most entertaining play of the game.
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