The Bruin boys varsity basketball team held their first home game of the season Thursday after taking the 10 point win in Gold Beach almost a week ago in a pre-season game against the Panthers.
Head coach Brandon Hodges and his 2021-2022 team hosted the Phoenix Pirates who made the long trip from southern Medford for Thursdays evenings pre-season contest. The Bruins came out strong in the first period, taking an early lead to start the game.
The Pirates played a physical game early sending the Bruins to the line 10 times, with junior Josh Serna, #34, going 2 for 2 from the line and hitting four baskets for 10 of the Bruins 12 points in the period.
After giving up an early lead in the first, the Pirates fought back from the 3 point line to take a 12-15 lead into the second period, and continued their physical game, sending the Bruins to the line 8 times in the period as Serna and senior center Brad Russell, #55, consistently worked the ball inside getting to the line.
Again the Pirates hit from the outside with 6 of their 12 points in the period coming from behind the arc. But the Bruins applied pressure in the second half of the period, and continued to drive the ball into the paint, getting center Brad Russell #55 to the line for 2 of his 8 points in the period, sending the the Bruins into the half-time break leading 28-24.
In the third period the Bruins made defensive adjustments, taking away the Pirates outside shooting opportunities while continuing to run off of defensive rebounds. Senior Jake Beaman, #1, led the way into the lane in the third period, hitting two baskets and going 1 for 2 from the free throw line.
Four Bruins got to the free throw line in the period including sophomore Evan Orman, #25, and sophomore Austin Dietrich #33, but it was senior center Brad Russell #55 who again led the way for the Bruins with 11 points in the period, as the Bruins extended their 4 point half time lead to 12 points to take a 48-36 lead at the end of the third period.
The Bruin defense limited second shot opportunities for the Pirates in the fourth, holding Phoenix to just 12 fourth quarter points. The Bruins continued to feed Russell down low, while managing to get four Bruins in the scoring column in the period, including sophomore Kyler Christensen #0 and sophomore Ethan Orman #32, as Russell again hit four baskets for 8 points in the final period.
The Bruins took a commanding lead midway through the third period and did not look back, defensively holding the Pirates to just 44 total points in the game, while the Bruins put up 36 points in the second half alone to take the pre-season win 64-44.
The Bruins will see more pre-season action next Thursday and Friday, January 6th and 7th, when they host both of their Hwy. 101 rivals starting with the Del Norte Warriors from the south on Thursday at 6:30pm, and then their northern Hwy. 101 rival Gold Beach Panthers Friday evening at 6:30pm, to close out pre-season non-league play.
