12-02-03
SANDOVAL @ WEBBER TOWNSHIP
BY JACK BULLOCK
BLUFORD - Fresh off of a Christopher Thanksgiving Tournament championship win on Saturday, Webber Township got to show the Trojan loyalist what they could do at home.

Despite a couple of defensive lapses Webber Township dominated Sandoval, pounding the Blackhawks 74-48 Tuesday night.

Joey Ullery and Jabe Michel each scored 24 points, which combined matched the Sandoval point total.

Webber is now 4-0 on the young season and looking to do even better later on, according to head coach Clarence Gross.

"We didn't play very well on defense tonight, especially in the second quarter," said the second-year mentor. "But we improved in the second half and we really did a good job on the boards."

Webber out rebounded the Blackhawks 45-20 (Michel had 14, Ullery 10) in the easy win.

Ullery got Webber out to an early lead, scoring the games first five points on a baseline drive and a 3-pointer from the left corner.

But the Blackhawks' Ronnie Whipple, a 6-3 sophomore forward, helped his team stay within striking range early in the contest.

His 3-pointer from the right side of the arc with 5:16 left in the first quarter cut the Webber lead to 7-5.

But Ullery answered right back for the Trojans, nailing a his second 20-foot bomb from the top of the arc to make it 10-5 and forced coach Chad Harper to use a time out.

Another Sandoval sophomore James Norton hit on a running 'one-hander' in the lane to creep the 'Hawks back to within 14-9.

But Webber finished off the quarter with an 11-2 run.

Jabe Michel converted a pair of chances in the paint. The first chance on a baseline drive, and then on a rebound of his own missed shot.

After a 15-footer from Norton found the mark with 1:15 to go, Webber finished off the quarter in style, scoring seven-straight points.

Bryce McKenzie ended the frame by scoring on a fast break with :13 remaining to make it 25-11 at the first horn.

Sandoval made its best move of the night by opening the quarter by scoring the first six points.

A 'spin move' by Jonathan Hayes in the lane, a Norton rebound basket and steal and subsequent lay up by Tyler Crawford got Sandoval back to 25-17 with just over a minute gone in the second quarter.

But the Trojans managed to keep Sandoval at a safe distance the rest of the half, thanks in part to Michel and his play on the offensive glass.

His rebound off of a Brad Porter missed 3-point attempt also rimmed out. But the 6-2 junior kept his concentration and stuck his second rebound in the sequence back in the basket while being fouled by Sandoval's Norton. His free throw gave Webber a 32-21 lead.

Whipple canned another 3-pointer (his 12th point of the first half) with 1:49 to go before intermission to cut the lead back to 36-28.

But Webber scored the last four points of the half on a Michel 15-footer and two free throws from Ullery to make it 40-28 at the half.

The Trojans put the game away in the opening minutes of the third quarter with their continued dominance on the offensive glass.

Ullery hit his first two shots of the second half, one on a baseline drive and the other on a 10-footer from the side.

After a Whipple rebound basket, Webber scored the next four points with Ullery hitting an easy shot in close after a nice skip pass from Michel.

The next trip down for Webber produced four missed shots and four offensive rebounds. Finally Sandoval's Jason Bosler fouled Michel and he made both of his charity tosses for a 48-30 advantage with 4:39 left in the third.

Michel scored seven of the Trojans' next nine points.

He finished off his own personal run with a 3-pointer from the top of the arc that sent Webber's lead to a commanding 57-34 bulge.

Michel's steal and 10-foot shot on the move started the fourth quarter. Then senior Kurtis Withrow got into the scoring act, hitting a 12-footer from the left side to make it 63-40.

Bryce McKenzie scored twice on fast break lay up's in the final minutes.

Michel and Ullery's 24 each were high for the game.

McKenzie finished with 10 for Webber while Porter hit for eight.

Whipple finished with 16 for Sandoval while Norton added 12.

In a cleanly played game that was well officiated, neither team made it into the bonus for foul shooting.

Webber heads into Mid-South Conference action with a game at Wayne City on Friday night while Sandoval hosts Clay City Friday night in Midland Trail Conference play.

Sandoval (48) - Crawford 7, Hayes 2, Bosler 4, Whipple 16, Conrad 5, Ward 2, Norton 12.
2 FG-16, 3FG-4, FT-4-7, PF-11.
Webber Township (74) - Porter 8, Swartz 2, Withrow 6, Ullery 24, Michel 24, McKenzie 10.
2FG-27, 3FG-3, FT-11-12, PF-7.