12-Calendar
12 The Tribune
SPORTS
December 17, 2014
Lewis-
LEFT: Discovery Canyon senior center Jacob Hein, No. 44 in dark jersey, and Woodland Park senior forward Sam Hopfe go up for the game’s opening tap in a game played Dec. 11 at Woodland Park. Discovery Canyon never trailed and won 7833. RIGHT: Discovery Canyon junior Colin McGettigan, No. 21 in dark jersey, goes up for two of his game-high 17 points during the Thunder’s 78-33 victory at Woodland Park on Dec. 11. Photos by Paul Magnuson
Thunder rolls to first victory of the season against old coach Discovery Canyon boys’ basketball team defeated Woodland Park, 78-33, on Dec. 11 By Danny Summers
dsummers @coloradocommunitymedia.com It was clear from the opening tip that the Discovery Canyon boys’ basketball team was out to make a statement against Woodland Park - and its new coach - during a nonleague game in Teller County on Dec. 11. The Thunder dominated every facet of the contest in a lopsided 78-33 victory for its first win of the season. Woodland Park dropped to 0-5. “I don’t know if we were trying to make a statement, but it’s always nice to beat your old coach by 45 points,” Thunder senior point guard Mitchell Carter said with a smile. “We played well tonight and it showed
on the scoreboard.” Carter’s old coach, John Paul Geniesse, started the Discovery Canyon program from scratch eight years ago. He left to coach college for one season, only to return to the area as Woodland Park’s coach this year. “We had a tough loss on Tuesday (at Coronado) and we knew we had to come out and be energetic; especially against Geniesse,” said Thunder 6-foot-6 senior center Jacob Hein. “It’s something we never thought we would see - playing against our old coach - but we’re glad we pulled out the `W,’” The Thunder (1-2) lost to Coronado, 5333, on Dec. 9 as it shot just 20 percent from the field and 18 percent from the free throw line. New Discovery Canyon coach Al Blanc, who has more than 600 career victories over 42 years, didn’t need to say much to get his team focused against Woodland Park. “Anytime you come on the road and you can win like this it’s a credit to the kids,” Blanc said. “I told these guys you have to come out with emotion, but you have to
also control it. You’re going to be playing a coach that wants to beat you guys. You have to understand that, but you have to play under control.” Junior Colin McGettigan led all Thunder players in scoring with 17 points. Also scoring in double figures were juniors Jake DeLange (15) and Brandon Storch (10). Hein added nine, while Carter and Austin Williams added seven each. “I knew exactly what they were going to bring; I knew exactly what they were going to do offensively and defensively,” Geniesse said about his former players. “I knew they were going to come up here and lay everything on the line; and they did that. Geniesse added that the game was emotional for him as well. “I had great memories (at Discovery Canyon) for six years,” he said. “It’s always going to be in my heart. “But on the other side of that we hurt ourselves tonight. We turned the ball over way too many times, which gave us fewer opportunities to be effective in the half
court.” The Thunder’s pressing defense smothered Woodland Park as it converted turnovers into easy buckets. Discovery Canyon led 18-9 after the first quarter and 44-18 at halftime. The Thunder didn’t let in the second half, leading by as many as 49 points with a little over two minutes remaining in the fourth. “We were just trying to get rotation and work on stuff, and a lot of things went well for us tonight,” Carter said. “A lot of us played football and we came into this season without really knowing the plays. That takes some time, but I think we’re starting to come around.” Discovery Canyon heads into the Christmas break with home games against Pueblo South and The Classical Academy. “We have to continue to work on basic fundamentals and concepts of the game and go from there,” Blanc said. “We have to keep playing with a lot of intensity and get the other team to turn the ball over.”