Risco beats Delta C-7 in home opener

RISCO - The Risco High School Men’s Basketball Tigers roared Thursday evening and blasted the Delta C-7 Chargers 57-38.

Risco’s Head Coach Brandon Blankenship celebrated the season’s home opener in style and said the matchup was a good one.

“We’re excited!” Coach Blankenship said. “We got a good crowd.

“Delta C-7 has some nice players,” he continued. “They’re gonna come in, play hard and compete.”

And Blankenship understood his assignment.

“I know they beat us last year,” Blankenship said. “They graduated a few and have some really strong underclassmen returning.

“C.J. Wallace is a really talented, really athletic sophomore who is exciting to watch and he’s back,” he added. “Bryce Manley is a good upperclassman for the Chargers. Devon Stewart is a fine ballplayer and a good scorer for them. They got some nice pieces and we’ll have our work cut out for us to compete.”

The Tigers’ coach said his game plan depended on his program’s defensive skills on the court and under the boards.

“Defense and rebounding,” he said. “That’ll keep us in about any game we play.

“If we guard well and rebound we can hold the offense to one shot at the goal,” he continued. “So that’s gonna be our focus tonight.”

The Chargers’ C.J. Wallace drew first blood by sinking a three-point bomb launched from just outside the top of the key and the game was on.

The Chargers dominated the opening minutes of the first period before the Tigers responded and battled back to take the lead 8-7.

Risco came alive in the second period and all but shut down Delta’s game, which was aided by some perceived miscommunications among Chargers’ players and broken offensive plays.

After three Chargers’ attempts at a goal, Wallace rebounded and scored with 2:07 left in the half. Wallace brought the score to 18-15 Tigers with a clean layup at the buzzer.

With 11 seconds left in the third period Risco sank three foul shots in a row to end the period 40-27 and continued, drawing first blood in the fourth.

With just 2:20 left on the clock, Risco enjoyed a 20-point lead over Delta 55-35 and brought the game home 57-38 at the final buzzer.

Chargers’ Head Coach Chris Dye offered props to the Tigers and said his program is focused on improving steadily all season.

“We struggled in the second half,” Dye said. “They brought the intensity.

“They kept it up,” he continued. “They rebounded, and that was a struggle for us. Our defensive positioning and awareness just isn’t there yet. But it’s early in the season and our goal is the district championship. We’re gonna keep grinding and things are gonna get better.”

Sammy Smith was high scorer for the Tigers with 26 points and C.J. Wallace was the Chargers’ top gun with 13 points.

Risco starters were Landon Baker, Sammy Smith, Aaron Denson, C.J. Blankenship and Riley Calvert.

Delta C-7 started Hayden Ward, Bryce Manley, C.J. Wallace, Devon Stewart and Garrett Lewis.