Bruins find shooting touch in win over Oak Glen
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WELLSBURG -- Brooke coach Adam Shinsky has been waiting to see his Bruins shoot the ball to their capabilities.
He and everyone inside the Brooke Wellness Center Tuesday night got to see just how good it can look when they do.
Brooke knocked down 10 3-pointers and used big second and third quarters to cruise past visiting Oak Glen, 70-47.
"We've been really working on our shooting all offseason, we spent a good amount of time in practice working in game-speed shots and contested 3s … it's what we do," Shinsky said. "We're a different team when we're pushing the ball, we're a different team when we're hitting our shots.
"In the third quarter (the scorekeeper) said we were shooting about 35 percent from 3 and 40 percent from the field, and we're dangerous when we can do stuff like that."
The Bruins (2-0) led by as many as 41 in the fourth quarter before substitutions were made.
"Basketball comes down to making shots," Shinsky said. "If we're making our shots and making layups, we're going to be in a lot of games."
Leading that offensive onslaught were the Toepfers. Peyton Toepher racked up a game-high 27 points, including four triples, while Leyton Toepher racked up 19 points and dished 10 assists for a double-double.
What impressed Shinsky as much as the offense was the performance of his defense, which held Oak Glen to single digits in half of the quarters.
"I've seen (Oak Glen's Jared Hissam) about five times now and he's one of the most dangerous players in the Valley, he can put up 30-35 on you. We really focused in on him," Shinsky said. "Peyton Toepher did an excellent job on him, to go on top of almost scoring 30 points himself.
"We've been working on our defense for two or three years trying to find an identity on that side. When we do things the correct way, taking the strong hand away from the player, not chasing, cutting the gaps off, we can be pretty good."
The Golden Bears (0-3) opened strong, holding a 12-11 lead after the opening quarter, but Brooke took over with a 22-point second quarter.
The Bruins knocked down four triples in the second quarter, two late makes from beyond the arc pushing the halftime lead to 33-17 Brooke.
It was more of the same in the third quarter, the Toephers drained back-to-back 3s right out of the gate to start what turned into a 18-4 Bruins run, making it a 57-24 lead going to the fourth quarter.
Oak Glen kept playing in the fourth, racking up it's biggest offensive output of the game with 23 points after its earlier cold spells.
Hissam led the Bears with 15 points, hitting three 3s of his own, and Alex Dennis netted 12, 10 of which came in the opening quarter.
"Brooke is physical, they played good defense on us," Oak Glen head coach Jerry Everly said. "We go through stretches where we we're not hitting shots. When we get in lulls, and they are hitting their shots, it kind of snowballs on us a little bit.
"I thought we battled back and kept playing hard and that's all I can ask. We'll keep getting better."
JV
The Bruins also won the junior varsity contest, 49-38. Garrett Hornick led Brooke with 20 points, while A.J. Ramgeet had 11 for the Golden Bears.
UP NEXT
Oak Glen: Travels to Madonna on Saturday.
Brooke: Hosts Big Red on Friday night.
Brooke 70, Oak Glen 47
Oak Glen 12-5-7-23 – 47
Brooke 11-22-24-13 – 70
OAK GLEN (0-3): Chaney 0 0-0 0; McKay 1 0-0 2; Cole 1 1-2 3; Ramgeet 1 0-1 2; Hissam 5 2-3 15; McCauley 2 0-0 5; Howard 0 0-0 0; Grisse 1 0-0 2; Evans 2 0-0 6; Cowart 0 0-0 0; Dennis 6 0-2 12. TOTALS: 19, 3-8; 47.
BROOKE (2-0): Shorts 1 1-2 3; P. Toepher 11 2-2 27; Campinelli 0 0-0 0; L. Topeher 7 0-0 18; Morris 0 0-0 0; Petrella 1 1-2 3; McMahon 0 0-0 0; Cipoletti 2 0-0 6; Fuscardo 2 0-0 5; Kamarados 0 0-0 0; Kimball 3 0-2 6; Griffith 0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 27, 5-10; 70.
3-POINT GOALS: Oak Glen 6 (Hissam 3, McCauley Evans 2); Brooke 10 (P. Toepher 3, L. Toepher 4, Cipoletti 2, Fuscardo).