Potter-Dix holds off Knights

The Coyotes’ 66-56 road win over South Platte on Saturday was not as cushy as the score might indicate.

Potter-Dix jumped out to a 19-12 lead at the end of the first period and extended it to 36-22 at the half, thanks largely to on target shooting by Tyler Magninie, Bryant Knigge and big Trevor Harms.

But, as Knigge pointed out, “once we’d get a comfortable lead, we’d get too comfortable.”

South Platte came roaring out of the break. They slapped the Coyotes with an 11-3 run to reel the gap back within reach at 41-34. The Knights finished out the third period with a 5-0 spurt—and they might have added more, missing six put back opportunities on one possession.

When the Knights’ Kris Kopetzky drained a jumper from the wing early in the final quarter, Potter-Dix’s advantage had been scrubbed down to a thin 47-44.

Only a Trace Sharman put back and two over the top passes from Knigge to Jake Johnson, who powered into the paint for easy layups kept the Coyotes on top.

“Jake and I really work well together,” Knigge said of Johnson’s two scores. “He’s always in the right place at the right time.”

But the Knights continued to joust, right to the end. Austin Mullen drained a pair of threes, as well as a flying put back. Kopetzky, who led all scorers on the night with 21, added a jumper and Blake Odenbaugh had a say with a short toss.

Three plays, as well as an offensive outburst by Knigge, finally secured the Potter-Dix victory.

Two of the critical plays came on back to back Coyotes’ possessions. Following Odenbaugh’s  shot, Cameron Purcell penetrated down the wing then suddenly drove the baseline and beat his man with a clever reverse layup.

“I just saw an opening and took it,” the junior explained.

After a South Platte miss, Harms bulled into the paint, grabbed an offensive rebound, hit the put back and drew a foul in the process. He converted the bonus to extend Potter-Dix’s lead to 54-46 with 4:33 to go.

The final play came with just 30 seconds on the clock and the margin still in single digits. Magninie hit the front end of a one-and-one, but missed the follow up. Harms grabbed the rebound and flicked it back up and in.

“I saw it go up and I thought ‘I’ve got to get this, we need it’” Harms said. The big center ended up with 16 points on the night.

In the midst of all this, Knigge pounded home 8 of his team high 20 points, hitting a long jumper and three lay ups.

“They were playing really good pressure defense,” Knigge pointed out. “But Jake and I have the pick and roll down.”

Though it proved to be a tussle, the Coyotes led most of the way, conceding only when South Platte’s Rowan Ford nailed a three early in the first period.

“We had a good win last night and it was tough to get back up,” Johnson said. “But the boys pulled through.”

Knocking off class C-2 Bayard on Friday night brings Potter-Dix’s record to 4-4, 3-1. It also represents back to back wins.

“This is big,” said Harms, who pulled down 11 rebounds on the night. “We’re on a winning streak. It’s just two games, but it’s a big accomplishment.”

The Coyotes are back in action Friday night when they host rival Leyton.

Friday:

Coyotes outrun Bayard

Friday’s night’s match up between Bayard and Potter-Dix was truly a see-saw affair.

The Tigers opened with an 8-2 run in the first. Potter-Dix answered with a 10-0 spree in the second. After the halftime break, it was Bayard’s turn again—an 11-0 outburst.

“It was slow, it was fast,” said Coyotes’ center Trevor Harms, describing the disjointed pace.

That Potter-Dix emerged from the back and forth bout with a 62-56 win over class C-2 Bayard had much to do with an 8-0 run the home side pieced together to open the final period of play.

Down by one, 38-37, at the start of the fourth quarter the Coyotes’ defense forced Bayard into an errant shot. Harms came down with the rebound and heard a call from far down court, where Bryant Kniggie was streaking alone toward the lane.

“Coach tells us to look up the floor,” the big junior explained. “Bryant was there.”

The long fast break pass tipped the balance in favor of Potter-Dix. Moments later, Harms hit a short jumper to extend the narrow advantage. Then Tyler Magninie picked Bayard’s pocket and tipped the ball to Cameron Purcell, who dished to Jake Johnson for an easy layup. Johnson added a couple more points from a clever assist by Knigge, completing the run.

Potter-Dix’s run put the Tigers on their heels, 45-38, with 6:30 remaining. But the visitors managed to respond with an 8-1 counterstroke, knotting things at 46-46 as the clock ticked toward the four minute mark.

Bayard’s Tyler FIscus drained two jumpers over the ensuing 30 seconds. But he was sparring with the combative Knigge, who cancelled each with a score of his own—the first a power move, slicing through three black jerseys; the second a flyer from the right wing that gave Potter-Dix a 50-48 advantage.

“The whole game—the whole season—my outside shot wasn’t falling,” Knigge said. “But Trevor and Jake were setting great screens.”

Tigers’ head coach Neil Baker called a time out, challenging his team to fight through those screens. But the damage had been done. Purcell and Johnson each hit free throws to give the Coyotes some breathing room.

As time wound down, the visitors were forced to foul, sending Magninie to the line on consecutive Coyotes’ possessions.

“I’m not a good free throw shooter,” the sophomore admitted. “I just took a deep breath.”

Magninie, who led all scorers on the night with 20 points, converted four consecutive charity tosses, extending the Potter-Dix advantage to 56-49.

In spite of a late three by the Tigers’ C.J. Trevino, Potter-Dix held on from that point until the final whistle.

“We just kept fighting, the whole game,” Magninie said.

Boys Basketball

Potter-Dix 66

South Platte 56