Transition Game Helps Moniteau Pull Away From Keystone and Cruise to Win

KNOX, Pa. (EYT/D9) — There is no secret what the Moniteau boys basketball team wants to do this season.

Run. Run. Run.

(Moniteau coach Mike Jewart talks with his team during a timeout)

With quickness everywhere on the court, and even with the subs on the bench, the Warriors believe few can keep up with them in transition.

Moniteau proved that on Tuesday night at Keystone, using its team speed and penchant for getting to the rim on fast breaks to sprint away from Keystone in the second half on the way to a 63-43 victory.

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.

“The way we ran the floor, especially in the second half, that’s what I’ve been looking for for four years,” said Moniteau coach Mike Jewart.

Moniteau certainly clicked in transition in the second half behind point guard Andrew Zepeda, who scored 14 points to lead the Warriors.

Ayden Jackson also benefitted from fast breaks to score 12 and David Dessicino added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Chason Delarosa-Rugg, another quick guard, added five points and 10 assists.

Moniteau ran the floor well against Clarion-Limestone to rally from 18 points down to win on Friday. That carried over again to Tuesday night against Keystone in a place that has been a house of horrors for the Warriors in the past.

Not this time.

“We finally figured it out, how to run the floor, against C-L,” Dessicino said. “And we did it even better tonight.”

Getting a win at Keystone is huge for Moniteau’s confidence going forward.

“We just wanted to come in here and show what we could do and what we are all about,” Zepeda said. “Any win gives you confidence.”

Moniteau certainly had confidence and the momentum in the first half, leading 28-14 midway through the second quarter, but Keystone closed out the half with a 12-4 run, including the final eight points, to cut the deficit to 32-26 at the break.

The Warriors, though, quickly pushed the lead back to 13 in the third quarter and led by as many as 24 in the fourth.

“They just killed us in transition,” said Keystone coach Greg Heath. “Our transition defense isn’t where it needs to be. It’ll get there, but it’s not there right now. Moniteau is excellent. They are a very good team and they are definitely going to be in the hunt this year.”

Zepeda, who was named the Hager Paving Incorporated Player of the Game, is a difference-maker. Only a sophomore, few can stay with him on the break and he has shown the ability to finish at the rim. He had two acrobatic plays in the paint.

“He can be a one man wrecking crew,” Jewart said of Zepeda. “And Chason is not much slower than him and (David) Martino can fly. What we really did tonight, which I loved, was Dessicino was running behind and following up and Jackson was getting out in front, realizing he could get easy buckets. We shared the ball very well.”

Jewart was also pleased with his defense in the second half.

In the first half, Keystone got 12 from Drew Keth and 10 more from Eli Nellis.

Keth finished with 17 and Nellis with 15 as the Panthers scored just 17 points over the final 16 minutes.

“In the second half, I thought our defense was phenomenal,” Jewart said. “It was unbelievable.”

For Moniteau, it wants much of the same going forward.

For Keystone, the Panthers want to keep improving.

“It’s definitely coming along, but we’re a young team,” Heath said. “We have to play seven games in two weeks. It’s tough. It’s tough. There’s no time to practice. Hopefully we’ll come out of Christmas as a better product.”

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.