Boys Basketball: Bloom blows by Kankakee

Updated: January 31, 2012 8:38PM

Bloom blitzed host Kankakee 77-27 Tuesday night in Southland action.

The significance of this game was Bloom’s 6-4 junior Johnny Griffin matching up on defense against Alvin Braddock, Kankakee’s senior 6-5 all-state candidate.

``I was looking forward to it,’’ Griffin said. ``He is their best player. I held him under his average and kept him off the boards.’’

Braddock came in averaging 18.5 points and 14.7 rebounds for the Kays (5-15,-0-6). Braddock finished with nine points and 10 rebounds. He was held to six before Griffin sat down for the rest of the game with 2:24 remaining in the third quarter and Bloom (18-3, 5-1) ahead 60-15.

``[Griffin] has the quickness to guard anyone,’’ Bloom coach Jasper Williams said. ``Once he figured out how to handle him, he did a good job.’’

Griffin finished with 10 points and six rebounds. The Blazing Trojans were led by Henry Hicks’ 13 points.

Dejahown Freeman added nine, and Jataryan Dejaraux and Lejavius Johnson eight each for the Trojans.

Braddock scored the game’s first basket for Kankakee to give the Kays their only lead. Then Hicks turned an offensive rebound into a three-point play and Bloom never trailed again.

The Trojans’ defense seized control of the game. The Trojans forced eight first quarter turnovers and built a 21-7 lead as Griffin scored six of his points.

Bloom forced another eight turnovers and held the Kays to three points in the second quarter to lead 40-10 at the half. That was stretched to 66-17 by the third quarter.

``We had a couple good days of practice,’’ Williams said. ``We are at that point in the season where we have to get ready for the playoffs.’’

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.