BEARS 57 RP 40

The team from Rockville Pike (RP)came to Landon’s Barton Center with a lot of energy and expectations of an upset. Without their stud Taylor Abt, the visitors went with a very Little Hoya line-up.  It didn’t work.

The quick visitors learned that size matters, as senior Co Captain Chris Hudnut scored the first 5 Points of the game on a three pointer and a jumper over the RP 1-2-2 zone. The little Hoyas came back to take a 9-7 lead at 1:30 remaining and maintain that advantage at the end of 1st eight minutes. Deion Wellington hit a late three to bring the Bears to the 1 point deficit.

END OF 1ST Q– RP11 LANDON 10

Senior Kellen Miller, known for hisdefensive prowess, sparked the Bears with a put back hoop, followed by a tough rebound and capped a two minute segment with another hoop. Bears 14 RP 11. Captains Senior Darion Atkins and outstanding junior guard (yes, WaPo #22 has another year as a Bear)Joe McDonald  got their games going in this period. The RP team did not fold and tied the Bears 20-20 at 2:32– the last time that the numbers under visitors were >> the home score FOR THE REST OF THE GAME. The time remaining until halftime saw a Landon 7 point run and the Bears held the RP players to 0.

HALFTIME LANDON 27 RP 20

The Bears asserted their offense in the next eight minutes– three early  Darion baskets (including a dunk) plus a sweet Joe jumper grew the lead to 12 points at 4:31 (Bears 37 RP 25). The little Hoyas  tried to slow the Bears down by employing a weave offense, but good home team D (a sweet Kellen block from behind) and more than an occasional RP turnover (several walks, maybe induced by Darion‘s presence under the boards) kept the Bears ahead in this period.

END OF 3RD Q LANDON 40 RP 28

Joe McDonald  pumped the lead with a hoop, followed by a foul shot and then another bucket, Bears 45 RP 28 @6:13. Hudnut (a three), Atkins, Miller (a 2 and then a 3) grew the advantage to 52-33. Soon thereafter Coach Luther gave some more players some PT against the RP team–Max Kra, Addison Sarter, Milan Bhatt, Isaiah Colclough (a hoop) and Robert Leachmanwere on the court for the remaining 2+ minutes. While the Landon students, through a gracious cheer, urged the RP fans to “Drive Home Safely”, the Landon 5 held the ball for the last 1:36.

FINAL SCORE LANDON 57 RP 40

[the margin @ RP was L 67 RP 54]

LANDON SCORING

McDONALD    15

ATKINS            14

MILLER             11

HUDNUT          10

WELLINGTON   3

HETTERMAN     2

LEACHMAN       2

FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME FRIDAY 2/11 @ 6:30PM with Jack Falvey as the writer.