PITSBURG – Franklin Monroe used a 19-4 run at the end of the half to break open a close game with Milton-Union and never looked back on its way to a 64-43 non-conference win.
The Jets scored first with a good post move by Cole McGlinch followed by a drive to the rim from Zach Cable to go up 4-0. FM would lead 15-8 after one quarter of play.
In the second quarter Milton used its length and ramped up the defensive pressure that helped fuel an 8-0 run by the Bulldogs to take the lead, 16-15.
Ethan Conley finally broke the run and four minute scoring drought for the Jets with a short jumper.
Franklin Monroe used a little pressure of its own, generating some steals that led to a few layups with Bryce Filbrun cashing in on two of them.
Kyle Ressler also heated up, scoring 7 points in the period to help fuel a 19-0 run for the Jets before Milton answered with 4 points to end the first half trailing 34-20.
“That 9-4 run at the end of the half really helped us going into halftime to feel a lot better about ourselves, but even with a 14-point lead at the half you have to come out and make sure you don’t give them life, and that team could get a little bit of life, so we challenged them at halftime to make sure we buried them and not give them any kind of breath in the second half,” Franklin Monroe boys basketball coach Troy Myers said.
The Jets won the third quarter 13-11 with Conley dropping 8 points in the frame.
Milton never really challenged the Jets in the final stanza and much of it was due to their aggressive style defense that created baskets in the open floor.
“I think in the past we been too conservative just playing in the half court and trying to be so sound then a break down happens and your world is going to end,” Myers said. “I think our kids like the up-tempo style and getting after it. I don’t like giving up easy layups … but I think it does a lot for us and makes us play with high energy, and that’s where we need to be.”
The Jets got 10 points from Conley in the final stanza and 31 for the game to lead all scorers.
“Ethan did a great job of getting his points in the flow of the game tonight,” Myers said.
“We dominated in the fourth quarter on both end of the floor and really finished the game strong,” Myers said
“I’ve never coached a kid that has put 10 fingers and 10 toes in the air going for a loose ball let alone three times in one game; that was Jordan Rhoades tonight. He is playing phenomenal basketball, not because of his stat sheet … but what he has done defensively for us, causing all kinds havoc,” Myers said.
The Jets outscored Milton 17-12 in the fourth quarter to win the game by the score of 64-43.
“I think that this was really good for us as a second game to bounce back after our first game. We weren’t pleased with the way we played down the stretch in our first game. You just try to find the identity of your team early in the season, and I think we found that tonight as we played with a high level of energy the entire night,” Myers concluded.
Box score:
Score by quarters
MU … 08 … 12 … 11 … 12 – 43
FM .… 15 … 19 … 13 … 17 – 64
Individual scoring
Milton-Union – Lovin 4, Morris 5, Brumbaugh 7, Goodman 4, Albaugh 8, Stone 10, Ullery 4, Chase 1 – Totals 2-17-3/8 – 43
Franklin Monroe – Kyle Ressler 7, Bryce Filbrun 4, Jordan Rhoades 2, Zach Cable 11, Cole McGlinch 4, Parker Hesler 5, Ethan Conley 31 – Totals: 4-21-10/14 – 64
3-pointers:
MU – 2(Morris 1, Brumbaugh 1)
FM – 4(Conley 2, Ressler 1, Hesler 1)
