'Stangs remain winless in Centennial

 

Through the first half of the Centennial League schedule, Mullen’s struggles continue.

The Mustangs dropped a 50-33 decision to Grandview on Wednesday night at Hutchison Fieldhouse in the Centennial League. In falling to 3-13 overall, 0-7 in league, they lost for the 10^th consecutive time and haven’t won since Dec. 20, when they downed Hinkley.

Seven games remain for Mullen, which is desperately seeking to gain some victories in the second half of league play.

“We just have to get better,” head coach Bob Caton said.

The latest setback came with the Mustangs’ usual problems, particularly with turnovers and a lack of rebounding, but also included an aridly dry stretch of no offense. It took 5 minutes, 18 seconds to score and the only points for the Mustangs through 12:38 were free throws.

The team missed its first 10 shots and was 1-of-13 through two quarters.

“We took a lot of the right shots, but they didn’t go in,” Caton said. ”And we saw a Division I player.”

Grandview’s Caleb McGill, who will play for the University of California-Davis, led all scorers with 18 points, including a couple of dunks.

For all of the Mullen miscues, it stayed within range in the game, trailing only 19-8 at halftime. However, the Wolves (12-4, 6-1), tied for the league lead with Cherry Creek heading down the stretch of the regular season, went on a binge to open the third quarter and grabbed firm command.

The game’s pace was slower, Caton agreed, and it should have benefitted the Mustangs, but they had no answers when the Wolves binged.

Senior Diallo Thompson topped Mullen with nine points. Brayden Carter, Manny Essex and Josh Lopez each had six.

Unusually, the Mustangs will be idle on Friday. They will open the second part of league play on Saturday with a home game at The Hutch against Arapahoe, tip-off at 5 p.m.

 

Grandview – Holtman 1 0-0 2, Ramiro 4 2-2 12, Thomas 5 0-3 11, Haug 1 0-0 3, McGill 8 2-3 18, Burr 0 0-0 0, Coles 1 0-0 2, Handy 0 0-2 0, Watters 1 0-0 2, Rullo 0 0-0 0, Wa-Kalonji 0 0-2 0. Totals 21 4-12 50.

Mullen – Thompson 2 4-5 9, Lopez 2 1-2 6, Bond 0 0-0 0, Heffern 0 0-0 0, Carter 2 2-2 6, Smith 1 1-2 3, Berg 0 0-2 0, Essex 2 0-0 6, Dominguez 1 0-0 3. Totals 10 8-13 33.

3-pt.goals – Ramiro 2, Haug, Thomas; Essex 2, Dominguez, Lopez, Thompson.