'Stangs bitten by Bruins, bad habits

 

GREENWOOD VILLAGE – In a transitional season, Mullen is still trying to find its way against good competition.

The Mustangs were blown out by host Cherry Creek on Wednesday night, 78-48 in the Centennial League at Kirby Lyle Gymnasium. In dropping to 3-7 overall, 0-3 in league, they lost their fifth consecutive game and were lulled into bad habits.

A Class 5A Sweet 16 team a year ago, graduation and moves out of state have made this a younger Mustangs team gaining experience on the fly, and there have been challenges.

“They’re better players,” Mullen head coach Bob Caton said of the Bruins, now 9-3, 3-0, “so we have to do certain things to make the game close. (But) when we break down, it goes out the window.”

It happened down the stretch of the second quarter and into the opening possessions of the third – Mullen got within 22-19 of the Bruins, but had no answers in giving up a 16-0 run. The Mustangs never recovered, Cherry Creek scored in waves and a laugher developed.

Along the way, shot-selection and turnover woes again haunted Mullen, notably firing away from behind the 3-point line, and repeatedly as if there was a shot clock.

“Shot selection and turnovers, it gets away quickly,” Caton said. “When you’re not very good, you tend to turn the ball over and tend to take bad shots. Our best chance, yes, is to play together.

“We have to move the ball and be selective. You don’t want to take it completely out of their hands, but we have to play smarter.”

Cherry Creek made nine 3-pointers, six by excellent junior Julian Hammond (28 points, all on field goals), and dunked a half-dozen times.

For Mullen, only five players scored. Sophomore Ethan Heffern led the way with 15 points and junior Brayden Carter again battled inside for 13 points. Sophomore Manny Essex came off the bench for 10.

The Mustangs return to action at home on Friday, Jan. 17, against Smoky Hill in league, tip-off at 7 p.m.

 

Mullen – Thompson 0 0-0 0, Lopez 3 0-0 8, Bond 0 0-0 0, Heffern 6 0-0 15, Carter 5 3-4 13, Essex 3 3-3 10, Dominguez 0 0-0 0, Berg 0 0-0 0, McNally 0 0-0 0, Haas 0 2-2 2, DePizzol 0 0-0 0, Marsh 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 8-9 48.

Cherry Creek – Cole 5 3-6 12, Hammond 11 0-0 28, Purchase 3 0-0 6, Hand 1 0-0 3, Smith 1 1-2 3, Walker 2 0-0 4, Hawley 5 0-0 12, Helm 2 0-0 4, Dickey 2 0-0 4, Mewhirter 0 0-0 0, Spiegleman 0 0-0 0, Ladson 1 0-0 2. Totals 33 3-8 78.

3-pt. goals – Heffern 3, Lopez 2, Essex; Hammond 6, Hawley 2, Hand.