Rough third quarter hurts Spartan boys

West Allis Central used an athletic, aggressive defense, super senior savvy and a momentum-tipping third-quarter run to defeat visiting Brookfield East, 58-50, on a cold, snow-draped night in West Allis.

For much of the game, the matchup resembled a head-to-head slugfest between local powers Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin.

One team was in white jerseys, with patterned rectangles running down the sides. The other was in solid cardinal red, with white and black lettering and trim.

Central, the former, was intensely defensive-minded and comfortable in the open-court. It skied high for rebounds, stampeded down court and slashed to the hole.

East, the latter, was guard-heavy, ball-control-minded and possession-oriented. It set screens, ran complex sets and called out plays that echoed through the cavernous arena.

For the entire first half, the teams tussled back and forth, feeling one another out. The game was tied 13-13, 15-15, 18-18 and finally, 20-20 at the half.

But early in the third quarter, the Bulldogs got hot and found some breathing room. A 14-4 run - keyed by a trio of seniors - pushed the score to 34-24 with 5:00 remaining in the third quarter. Central never trailed again.

The Bulldog defense was key. Central's man-to-man defense tightened. The players jumped passing lanes, stripped balls, forced turnovers, plucked steals and raced the other way.

"We knew they had at least one good third quarter run in them," said East head coach Andy Farley. "We were hoping to offset it or minimize it. But they're a solid team."

East didn't go down without a fight. Leading the way for the Spartans were guard Ryan McBride and swingman Brian Smith.

McBride was the antidote to Bulldog pressure. The junior dribbled, spun, cut and drove around and through it. Mixing up a barrage of runners, pull up jump shots, layups and trips to the free throw line, he finished the game with nine points and six assists, before fouling out with 0:05 seconds left.

Central similarly had no answer for Smith.

The junior notched 20 points with a deft mix of half-court efficiency and open court grace. He hit long pull-up jumpers off screens and short jump shots off the glass. He laid in smooth drives to the hole and scrambled for putbacks on missed shots.

Smith almost single-handedly kept East in the game during the fourth quarter, scoring five times on six East possessions to keep the Spartans within striking range; as close as 45-40.

The duo was aided by a yeoman interior effort by junior forward Mikey Novak, who fought an uphill battle inside all night; cleaning up the glass for six points and 10 rebounds.

But ultimately Central simply proved too much.

The Bulldogs trotted out an active, athletic front line with multiple players capable of rebounding, handling the ball, driving to the hole and finishing.

Central's trio of senior forwards - Darvell Brown, Tonnie Collier and Najeal McMillian, all standing between 6'3" and 6'8" - was just too talented.

McMillian finished with 16 points. Collier had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Brown was the crowd favorite, blocking multiple shots and even pinning one to the glass.

They had plenty of help from the Bulldog guards, who hounded East on the perimeter and transitioned play into the open court.

Freshman guard Brandon Key chipped in 11 points, sophomore guard Ron Turkvan played lock-down defense and dished out seven assists and junior guard Jarvis Garrett added five steals for the Bulldogs.

"They do so many things to make you uncomfortable," Farley said. "I was worried about their height and athleticism, especially on defense and in rebounding. I was worried about their speed in the open court.

"But I thought we'd be all right, so long as we took care of the ball. I hadn't considered how tough they would be to defend."