Boys Basketball: Richards rides first-quarter surge to ‘W’

Updated: February 10, 2012 11:18PM

It was share and share alike for host Richards during the first quarter of its 57-41 South Suburban Red victory Friday over Reavis.

All 12 Bulldogs played. Seven of them scored a total of 14 points.

“We know everybody can do the same thing,” senior Jovone Shorter said. “Sharing the ball makes the game way easier. Our coach (John Chappetto), he’s got confidence in everybody.”

Shorter led what would be an 11-man scoring list for Richards (12-9, 7-3), with 13 points. He added 13 rebounds. Josh Meier had seven points and Royal Hardaway and Danny Gardner six each.

Reavis (9-12, 3-7) received 25 points from Nicholas Bal and 13 from Eduard Puha.

The win put Richards in position to seize control of the Red Division in a head-to-head battle Tuesday at Oak Lawn.

“It’s interesting,” Chappetto said. “For the first time that I can remember we’re going into Oak Lawn as the underdog. Last year they were pretty good and they beat us. We’ll get ready for Tuesday night.”

Richards’ defense was as effective early against Reavis as was its spread-the-wealth offense, forcing six Reavis turnovers and holding the Rams to a 2-of-8 showing from the field. It was 14-7 at the first break.

Bal, who would finish with six three-pointers, went back to back early in the second quarter to get Reavis to within 18-13. Richards responded with a 12-0 run, opened and capped with treys by Hardaway and Gardner.

Reavis never got back to within single digits.

It was a much happier evening for Richards than a week earlier, when the Bulldogs were surprised 59-54 by Shepard.

“We were exposed by Shepard for some of our deficiencies,” Chappetto said. “Shepard played great, but I think we were kind of arrogant and cocky going into the game. We were humbled.

“This week we went back to work and spent probably 85 percent of our practices on defense. And the other part where we were good tonight was sharing the ball. We have to do that the rest of the year.”

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