Canon-McMillan comes out fast, dumps Trinity
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Trinity's Connor Roberts (1) goes up against Canon-McMillan's Gavin Miller (10) in the second half of the season-opening game Friday in Canonsburg.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Jake Samosky, left, drives past Trinity’s Dante DeRubbo on the way to a score Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Jake Samosky leaps past Trinity’s Jacob Dunkle (35) to score two of his team-leading 13 points during the second half Friday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan's Ryan Silver (41) looms large over Trinity's Andrew Durig in the first half Friday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Jake Samosky works against a Trinity defender to put back a rebound in the game Friday night.
CANONSBURG – What a difference a year can make.
Coming off a one-win season, Canon-McMillan boys basketball coach Charles Murphy was hopeful last season trials and tribulations of a pandemic-laced season would help sow the seeds for a more successful 2020-21 campaign for the Big Macs.
Coach Murphy’s players passed their first test of the season in emphatic fashion Friday night with a resounding 68-44 win over Trinity in game two of the Big Mac Tip Off Tournament. The Big Macs will face South Fayette this evening, a 52-41 loser to Seneca Valley in the tourney opener. Trinity, who plays in the same conference with South Fayette, will face Seneca Valley in the other contest tonight.
“We have six to seven guys from last year who have varsity experience,” Murphy noted. “We worked hard in the offseason in the weight room to get ready. I think that showed tonight.”
The Big Macs outrebounded the Hillers 36-27. Jacob Samosky led the way with 13 points while Tyriek Williams and Aiden Berger netted 11. Gavin Miller was the fourth Big Mac to score in double-figures with 10.
“That’s probably our strength, our depth this year,” Murphy noted. “We have a bunch of guys who can score between 10 to 15 points at any given time.”
Nine different Big Macs scored in this game. Kyle Fetcho and Connor Roberts scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Hillers while Dante DeRubbo added 11.
“We kind of hit a wall there midway through the second quarter,” Trinity coach Tim Tessmer said. “We had some spurts, but not enough to compete at this level.”
A 20-point third quarter for the Big Macs gave the hosts a 52-38 lead at the end of the third quarter. Canon-McMillan imposed their will as they seemingly snatched every loose ball and rebound in the quarter.
A Samosky three-pointer midway through the final quarter ballooned the hosts lead to 60-38 and effectively ended any hopes of a Hiller comeback.
“I told our guys we had to get physical with them and that’s what we did,” Murphy added. “Our depth I think wore them down as the game went on.”
The Big Macs assumed control of the contest in the second quarter as they outscored the Hillers 19-11. Williams knocked down two three-pointers in the quarter to help lead the charge. In the process, Canon-McMillan turned a seven point deficit into an eight-point halftime lead by virtue of 27-12 run that spanned the midway portion of the first quarter and through the second.
Trinity went on a 10-0 run midway through the first frame to take a 12-5 lead.
But the Big Macs responded in kind with an 8-1 run to close the quarter as Williams sank a 17-foot jumper at the buzzer, leaving the score knotted at 13 as the first quarter came to a close.