Bluejays blow by Doniphan in district tuneup

sports@standard-democrat.com

CHARLESTON -- After a relatively slow start on Monday, the Charleston Bluejays opened up the final week of the regular season with a dominant 89-35 win over the Doniphan Dons.

Delfincko Bogan and Darrion Carter led the way with 17 points each on a night where six Bluejays posted double-digit scoring totals.

"I love to see the effort at this time of the year and it was there tonight," Charleston head coach Danny Farmer said. "I thought we played a great defensive game, half court and full court. I don't think they could even get in their sets."

The Bluejays had a total of 18 steals on the contest, but didn't really come alive until a blistering second quarter where they outscored the Dons 28-4.

Charleston took a 17-12 lead into the frame and quickly went on a 7-2 run that caused Doniphan to burn a pair of timeouts as the Bluejays' press caused turnover after turnover.

Through the final six minutes of the half, Charleston held the Dons without a field goal closing out the quarter on a 21-2 run in the final four minutes to take a 45-16 lead into the break.

"It was our defense," Farmer said. "That's what we were planning on doing going into this game. They don't play up our way and we feel they just don't play our style and I think our style is an advantage. So we just wanted to pressure them the whole game."

Doniphan rebounded with an 8-4 run to start the second quarter, but their resurgence was short-lived.

After allowing the Dons back within 24 points midway through the third, Charleston went on to score 21-straight points to end the fourth to take a 74-29 lead into the fourth where they easily kept the turbo-clock running.

Doniphan's starting senior, Brian Patterson, was held to only 14 points on the night, including six in the second half.

"He has to do a lot of things for Doniphan," Farmer said. "He brings the ball down the court and we double team him to make him pass. We made him work for those 14 points."

Carter came just short of a double-double on the night as he scored 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting while grabbing nine boards. Bogan earned his 17 points hitting on 6 of 11 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, while contributing six assists, three steals and three rebounds.

Robert Bogan had 14 points while shooting 7 of 9 from the floor while adding four steals to the Bluejays' cause.

Shandor Webster had 12 points on the contest while Trey Watkins and Sumner Foster scored 11 points each.

As a team the Bluejays shot 37 of 75 (49 percent) while collecting 32 rebounds.

"Delfinko, our shooter, hit a few threes for us," Farmer said. "Carter played well and scored down low. Robert Bogan was stealing balls. He probably had 12 points just off stealing balls. Everybody contributed in one way or another."

Charleston moves to 21-3 on the year with the win and has two more games left this week before they enter the Class 3, District 1 tournament. They'll travel to Cape Central to play the Tigers tonight at 6:00 p.m. before hosting Poplar Bluff Friday night, also at 6 p.m.

In the night's junior varsity contest, it was the Bluejays once again coming away with the win, 59-40.

Jamael Nelson led the way with 15 points while Christian Allen and Tenerrious Ewing scored 12 and 10 points respectively.

Doniphan 12 4 13 6 - 35

Charleston 17 28 29 15 - 89

DONIPHAN (35) -- Dakota Mooney 7, Aaron Aldrich 3, Trey Payne 2, Brett Hale 3, Austin Ivy 1, Brian Patterson 14, Ryan Daniel 2, Wyatt Eaton 3. FG 13, FT 6-12, F 11. (3-pointers: Mooney 1, Aldrich 1, Hale 1. Fouled out: none.)

CHARLESTON (89) -- Delficko Bogan 17, Robert Bogan 14, Ryan Parham 7, Trey Watkins 11, Sumner Foster 11, Shandor Webster 12, Darrion Carter 17. FG 37, FT 6-11, F 14. (3-pointers: Delficko Bogan 3, Parham 1, Watkins 1, Foster 2, Webster 2. Fouled out: none.)