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Sports

Holt Hoops Switches Gears in Win over Zumwalt South

Bulldogs find a way to contain Daniels, but the Indians prevail with three-point attack

It’s hard to keep a good man down. It’s even harder to keep down a big one.

There didn’t seem to be much debate over ’s defensive strategy when it visited Friday night in what turned into a 69-53 victory for the home team. Though the Indians have played only two games since the turn of the year, forward Dantiel Daniels seemed to have made resolutions to increase an already impressive 21 points-per-game average.

Last week, the senior posted 33 points against McCluer and another 35 points in a tough loss against undefeated Hazelwood Central, making it well known who the Holt success ran through.

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But when the Bulldogs seemingly caged the beast in Friday’s first half, committing all eyes and all-but collapsing on every Daniels possession, what they overlooked was the big man’s entourage.

Holt (10-2) flashed some balanced brilliancy Friday night, temporarily kicking away from Daniels’ in the second half for guards Lamar Colvin and James Robinson to rain down from the perimeter. The 3-point attack forced Zumwalt South (7-6) off its defensive plan, ultimately inviting Daniels back to his preferred methods of scoring-at-will.

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“They had a good game plan on me,” Daniels said. “That’s really the first team all season to come out and do that to me, and I really give them credit. In the first half, they always had a man fronting me and another one behind me, and it was hard to get through that. But in the second half, Lamar Colvin helped open the door from outside, and (Zumwalt South) switched to man defense. Everything just cleared up.”

Visibly frustrating Daniels at times during the start, the Bulldogs were able to take a second quarter lead before the forward began emerging from his shell. Some aggression in the post drew two fouls on Daniels, whose free throws helped put Holt up 25-22 at halftime.

But the Indians decided to take the fight outside in the second half. Robinson began commanding at range, sinking 8 of 11 field goals and a pair of 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 22 points, and Colvin dropped in two 3-pointers of his own.

Zumwalt South guards George Cater and JR Alexander gave chase offensively with a combined six 3-pointers, but defensively the Bulldogs were stretched too thin to hold down Daniels.

“Most of the time, when we stayed in our matchup, (Daniels) didn’t get the ball very much,” said Bulldogs coach Bill Friedel. “Now, when we had to run around and chase long shots, and they got running on us, then he got the ball up. He is a real good player, plays as hard as anyone in the area. A lot of star players don’t play really hard, but he plays hard all the time.”

Daniels himself didn’t range out to the perimeter but still got in on the Indians’ 3-point action. With defensive pressure alleviated in the second half, he twice converted traditional 3-point plays including a dominating rebound and putback after a missed free throw to open a 53-40 lead in the fourth quarter. The senior finished with 18 points, three steals and two assists.

Zumwalt South switched to a full-court press in the waning minutes, but Holt was solid at the line, knocking down six straight free throws to end the game. Cater led the Bulldogs was 18 points, including four treys, and added two steals.

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