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    Heading em off
December 7, 2008

Headed off at the pass

DEMONS DOWN BIG EARLY, FALL TO STAR SPENCER 87-64

Michael Pineda

CACHE — The Duncan Demon’s game against Star Spencer was a tale of two halves. And it was the worst half that decided the outcome.

A shell-shocked Demon team went into the locker room at halftime on the short end of a 51-30 deficit and was unable to make the difference up in an 87-64 loss. The Bobcats gave Duncan fits with its defense, keeping the Demons from establishing any sort of rhythm in the first half as they fell to 0-2 on the season.

“We will be hard-pressed to find a quicker or faster team,” Smith said. “We have played two of the toughest teams in the state back-to-back.

“We challenged them at the half and they played with them in the second half. That is a sign of character. If they could have beat us by 50 they would have.”

It wasn’t for lack of trying on Star Spencer’s end of the stick as its defense never lost its intensity. Duncan, which turned the ball over 14 times in the first half, only gave it away seven times in the final 16 minutes.

The Demons were reeling early as the Bobcats rolled out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter. Clint Sylvester put an end to the run with a basket but Duncan was victimized by rushed shots, hitting four of its 17 first quarter field goal attempts and falling behind 22-10. The Demons shot the ball much better in the second quarter, scoring 20 points but could not solve the turnover problem or Deontae Thomas. The Bobcat substitute scored nine of his 17 first half points in the second quarter to help keep Duncan at bay.

Star Spencer gashed the Demon defense for 51 points in the first half and went in trailing by 21 after Sylvester hit a last second 3-pointer.

Bradley Toone scored nine points in the first half to lead Duncan and picked up some help from Kyle Lee in the second half. Lee, who scored 27 in the loss to Northwest Classen, was held to four points in the first half. The second half proved to be more favorable for the senior as he knocked down 11 to finish the game with 15.

Duncan added the press to its defensive playbook in the second half and enjoyed some early success and close within 17 points in the fourth quarter on a quick run but would be unable to get any closer as Smith pulled the starters in the fourth quarter with the team trailing by 21.

“We can’t wait until halftime to figure things out,” Smith said. “This is the second of 30 games that we are going to play. We’re learning and building as we go. As a coach, all you can ask is that they compete.”

Toone and Sylvester led the Demons in scoring with 16 points. Jackson Stone and Dylan Dismuke and Tyler Gay each tacked on six for Duncan. Thomas scored 24 points to lead the Bobcats.

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