Falcons cruise past Mavs, stay perfect in district race
KATY — Georgia Tech-bound forward Kristian Sjolund didn’t play Friday night after spraining an ankle a day earlier.
After jumping out 13-0, Tompkins made do just fine without him.
The state-ranked Falcons didn’t need any of their big guns by the start of the fourth quarter.
C.J. Washington scored 21 points, Emmanuel White had 20, and the Falcons built a 31-point lead in the fourth before cruising to an 84-67 victory at home — and a 7-0 record in District 19-6A. The Falcons improved to 21-6 overall.
“It gives us great momentum going into the second round of district, knowing we can handle these teams if we take care of business,” said coach Bobby Sanders, whose Falcons are eyeing their first district title.
Morton Ranch dropped to 17-8 and 5-2.
Flurry of technicals
Washington sparked Tompkins’ 13-0 run to start the game, scoring eight points in a frantic stretch that featured a technical foul on Morton Ranch big man Eddie Lampkin and a doubletech on Washington and Kamaru Dorsey, who had words after Dorsey sent Washington to the free-throw line.
“It means a lot because they play with these guys in the summer,” Sanders said of the early emotions. “They want to win the talking battle.”
The Falcons used another 13-0 run in the second quarter to build a 36-13 advantage, with Oklahoma signee Jamal Bieniemy hitting a corner 3-pointer, then turning a steal into a transition layup.
They took a 45-25 lead into halftime — along with a 23-9 advantage on the boards.
“We were really aggressive and unselfish, and played with some fire,” Sanders said. “That’s why we started off so strong.”
Morton Ranch tried to climb back in the third, pulling within 52-32 on Lampkin’s short jumper, but the Falcons answered with an 8-0 spurt featuring Washington’s dunk on a spinning assist by Bieniemy.
“C.J.’s a strong player, and when he decides he wants a layup he just goes to get it, and Jamal can do everything, so that helps, too,” Sanders said.
Bieniemy supplied 18 points, five rebounds and five steals.
The Falcons led by 31 after Hank Sanders’ trey to start the fourth.
Mavs’ Cryer scores 25
Morton Ranch sophomore guard L.J. Cryer scored 16 of his game-high 25 in the final quarter, but it came too late.
“(We wanted) to let anybody other than Cryer beat us,” Sanders said. “That was the plan. He gets points, because he leaks out and he gets to the free-throw line, but he didn’t beat us.”
Lampkin had 13 points and seven rebounds but went scoreless in the first half. Point guard Eden Holt added 14 points for Tompkins, which shot 48.3 percent from the floor (28-of-58) and 75 percent from the free-throw line (21-of-28). Morton Ranch went to the line 13 times, making 10.
Tompkins outrebounded Morton Ranch 35-28 for the game.
“We’ve really been focusing on going to the offensive glass, so our guards are getting in there and getting a lot of offensive rebounds,” said Sanders, who expects Sjolund back on the court next week.