Faith Flames notch first victory, 68-23

Faith Academy junior forward Jonathan Reyes forces the Austin Hill Country ball handler to dribble toward the middle of the floor. Courtesy photo
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The Faith Academy boys basketball team offered fans a glimpse of its expectations this season.The Flames (1-1) beat Austin Hill Country 68-23 by having four players in double figures and allowing a total of eight points in the second half.
Head coach Randy Denton said those stats started in the first half when Faith gave up a total of three buckets in the opening 16 minutes.
That’s the result of a defensive strategy Denton planned. He asked his squad to play man-to-man defense in the first half, then a zone defense in the second half.
“We stuck with the script,” the coach said.
That allowed the Flames to build a 19-9 first quarter lead that ballooned to 33-15 at halftime.
Denton noted Jarrett Haydon, who did not score a point in the loss to Austin Regents last week, dropped in 15 against Hill Country because Haydon hustled during fast breaks. The others turned in their usual performances, Denton said.
“Everybody did their jobs,” he said. “It worked out.”
The coach was not surprised how well the Flames’ chemistry was on the court, even though Rich Coleman and Rawley Jackson were on the football field four days earlier.
“I expect that every week,” he said. “I think we’re going to be unselfish.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com
ON OFFENSE: Points – Damien Charles 15, Jarrett Haydon 15, Rich Coleman 12, Joseph Woods 11, Jonathan Reyes 7, Rawley Jackson 4, Regan Hanish 4; assists – Charles 8, Reyes 1, Jackson 1, Hanish 2.
ON DEFENSE: Rebounds – Charles 8, Woods 6, Reyes 1, Jackson 4, Hanish 8; steals – Coleman 6, Reyes 2, Jackson 2, Hanish 1; blocks – Woods 3, Hanish 1
RECORDS: Faith is 1-1
UP NEXT: 7 p.m. Nov. 17, Faith vs. Cherokee at The Fire Pit, three miles east of Marble Falls off RR 1431