The Delmar varsity basketball team jumped out to an 11 point lead over Laurel in last Thursday’s home contest. Laurel held a 23-2 advantage in the second quarter and held off a rally by the Wildcats in the second half for a 60-41 win.
Delmar took a 14-5 lead in the opening quarter as Dustin Pedersen netted six points. Laurel scored the first 20 points of the second quarter as Khalid Burton scored six points and Kei’Shaun Copes added four for a 25-14 lead. The Bulldogs’ Jeremiah Mizzelle Hopkins added a three-pointer for a 28-16 lead at the half.
Laurel’s Brock Hill takes the ball to the basket for two points last Thursday in Delmar. Hill netted seven points in his team’s road win. Photo by Mike McClure
The Bulldogs scored the first 13 points of the second half to increase their lead. Za-Bryan Eley scored five points including a three-pointer and Brock Hill had four points.
Delmar’s defense turned up the heat with a half court trap, resulting in 13 unanswered points to make the score 44-32 at the end of the quarter. Telvin Nichols netted five points during the run for the Wildcats.
Laurel extended its lead with a pair of free throws by Copes and a steal and basket by Burton early in the fourth quarter. Delmar’s Aiden Marshall made a three-pointer and Pedersen scored on a putback to make it 49-37.
Eley scored seven straight points including a three to extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 19. Delmar kept battling, turning up the heat with a full court press. The Wildcats moved within 15 before Laurel scored the last four points, including three by Burton, for the 60-41 win.
“Our work ethic and hustle made the difference. We work hard every day at practice,” said Hopkins. “We had great composure at the end of the game.”
Eley said the team had great energy on defense and pushed the ball on offense.
Eley led all scorers with 20 points, Copes had 10, Burton netted nine, Hopkins added eight, and Hill scored seven points. Pedersen led the Wildcats with 12 points, Nichols had 10, and Adkins added six points.
