Mullen fights through woes, win 67-52

CENTENNIAL – It was what is called a trap game. Not very pretty to watch. A bunch of mistakes and missed free throws. Little, if any, flow with a lot of stoppages and not a lot of finishing at the rim. Maybe even a sense that it was going to be a walk-over. And the winner was just glad to get away with more points than the other team.

So Mullen’s 67-52 victory over Arapahoe in the Centennial League at Sitting Eagle Gymnasium on Wednesday night really may have been a lot of things.

“Yes and no,” Mustangs head coach Bob Caton said afterward. “We can control our own destiny if we put the ball in the basket and do things the right way.”

He also substituted freely as the Warriors, 5-13 overall, 0-9 in league, have struggled. And Mustangs senior Vaughnn Stitt will miss the team’s next game as he will be off on a recruiting trip, “so we have to be ready for that,” Caton said.

Really, he added, “we didn’t turn it over a lot, but we missed easy shots and free throws.”

In improving to 12-6 overall (5-4 in league), Mullen did secure its most overall victories since the 2007-08 season, when it was 17-9 , and has its most victories in the Centennial since 2009-10. But Caton told his players there’s so much more to do and zero time to dwell on any accomplishments.

Actually, there’s time to celebrate the play of Isaac White, a junior transfer from Pennsylvania, as well as hope for more as the stretch run of the regular season is here. White scored a team-high 20 points on seven-of-eight shooting, including four 3-pointers. Over the past two games, he has made 17-of-21 shots.

“I’m just shooting with more confidence, just trusting my shot,” he said. “And my teammates are getting me the ball when I’m open.”

White, recently inserted as a starter, said he’s feeling better physically after the football season and has overcome an ankle injury from before the holidays.

“Definitely,” he said. “And I’m in better shape.”

Caton added: “He gives us another dimension.”

Inside, junior Isaac Ondekane piled up 19 points and 19 rebounds. And senior Matt Veen came off the bench for eight points and seven rebounds.

The Mustangs also withstood a couple of moves by the Warriors when needed, although they seemed to help them by making only 16-of-30 free throws and regularly misfiring while in the paint, both season-long problems.

“But it’s a good win,” Caton said. “(The Warriors) are scrappy and they’re tired of losing. They’re going to beat someone. I’m just glad to get out of here with a win.”

When told that defending Class 5A state champion and current Centennial leader Grandview was knocked off by Overland 53 -50 in Aurora, Caton wasn’t surprised.

“It just goes to show,” he said, “that we have to be ready.”

Mullen will go for a league sweep of Aurora’s Cherokee Trail on Friday, 7 p.m., at Hutchison Fieldhouse, the first of four consecutive home games.

 

Muulen – Davis 1 2-2 4, Stitt 2 3-4 7, White 7 2-2 20, Parris 1 0-0 3, Ondekane 7 5-14 19, Veen 4 0-0 8, Beckish 0 0-0 0, Riepma 1 4-8 6, Thompson 0 0-0 0, Lopez 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 16-30 67.

Arapahoe – Brophy 0 0-0 0, Adams 0 0-0 0, Fleming 5 2-2 16, Sturgeon 1 0-0 3, Stephens 8 3-5 22, Liberty 0 0-0 0, D’Agostino 3 1-2 9, Jones 0 0-0 0, McCann 1 0-0 2, Henry 0 0-0 0, Hill 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 6-9 52.

3-pt. goals – White 4, Parris; Stephens 4, Fleming 4, D’Agostino 2.