Boys hoops: Chandler's fast start dooms Red Mountain

December 17, 2014 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


A couple of tough shots by Chandler High’s N’Keal Harry. Mix in a half-dozen turnovers later in the first quarter by Red Mountain and the host Wolves were on their way to a second win in as many days Tuesday night. Harry netted a game-high 27 points and three teammates tallied in double figures as Chandler subdued Red Mountain, 75-67, in a Division I basketball contest at Coy Payne Gymnasium.
 
Harry, who along with football teammate Bryce Perkins joined the team a week late after winning the D-I football title, has averaged around 25 points a game since his first game on Dec. 2. He was right on that number again, making three quick field goals that staked Chandler to a 9-4 lead with 3 1/2 minutes gone. His first bucket came from the perimeter with a defender in his face. The second was an acrobatic layup he made look easier than it was.  The third was a tough 8-footer in the lane. Two minutes later, Red Mountain turnovers led to two or three layups and the rattled Mountain Lions saw their deficit grow five points to 17 (21-4), with 2:29 left in the quarter.
 
“We can’t afford to play catch-up like that,” Red Mountain coach Todd Fazio said. “We were down to Gilbert in our last game 11-0 to start. Both times turnovers just killed us. Chandler was a big challenge for us. We knew they were good in the open floor. We handed them scores early and it made it tough for us all night.”
 
Harry scored nine points in the first period as Chandler led after the first eight minutes, 23-8. Harry finished the first half with 16 points, but Red Mountain curtailed the miscues in the second quarter and began getting more opportunities and as it turned out quite a few threes. Guard Kapono Enos heated up in the second quarter for Red Mountain, canning a pair and teammates Abe Mercado and Naseem Vigil sank one each. Red Mountain pared the lead to 34-27 at the half with just two turnovers in the second quarter.
 
Chandler again made it tough on Red Mountain (5-3) in the third period as the Mountain Lions began the quarter turning the ball over five times in the first four minutes. Chandler bumped the lead back up to 14 (41-27) a little over two minutes into the quarter. Chandler got strong offensive second halfs from Perkins and guard Alex Quezada. Perkins scored eight of his 10 points in the third period and and Quezada tallied 11 of his 16 points after intermission. Enos, who led Red Mountain with 24 points, scored nine more in the third period and Mercado sank two more threes as Red Mountain pulled within 49-45 as the third period ended. Enos drilled his three in that period at the buzzer.
 
Chandler coach Mark Nold hasn’t had difficulty intergrating Harry and Perkins in his lineup. Chandler is 4-1 with them and 8-2 overall.
 
“Bryce leads so well by example,” Nold said. “He’s not really a vocal guy. He gets rebounds for us, helps in the middle, fits in the zone. He does a lot of things. ... Alex has really grown from a limited role last year off the bench. He’s a great scorer, and isn’t afraid to go after rebounds.”
 
Red Mountain’s bid to cut Chandler’s lead to fewer than four in the final period never materialized. Harry, Quezada and Perkins combined for Chandler’s first 12 points of the fourth quarter to key a 12-4 run that put the game away at 61-49 with 3:03 to play. Chandler also got double-figure scoring out of Brandon Thompson (15 points).
 
Desmond Ethridge (12), Vigil (11) and Mercado (10) were in double figures for Red Mountain behind Enos.