Luray’s Owens posts game-high 24 points; junior guard hits five triples
By Randy Arrington
LURAY, Dec. 12 — Luray moved to 2-1 on the season and redeemed their only loss against East Rock last week with a 66-52 non-district win over the Eagles on Thursday night. Junior wing Matthew Owens put up a game-high 24 points, including five buckets from beyond the arc.
Owens recorded a game-high 18 points in the Bulldogs’ four-point loss on the road to East Rockingham, 61-57, to open the season Dec. 3. Last season’s second team All-State selection posted Luray’s opening four points on Thursday and scored consistently throughout the game, including a pair of three-pointers in both the third and fourth quarters.
East Rock came out of the gate outscoring Luray 16-7 over the opening eight minutes. Junior forward Michael Smith scored six of his team-high 13 points in the opening frame, including a triple. However, that would be the only frame owned by the Eagles, as the Bulldogs outscored the visitors 25-14 and 20-10 over the next two quarters to carry a 12-point margin into the final eight minutes.
Six different Bulldogs scored points in the second quarter, as the momentum flipped and the game tightened up. The score was tied five times and the lead changed five times over the final 5:24 of the first half. Luray hit four shots from beyond the arc and connected on 71 percent of their shots in the second quarter. Senior guard Blake Jenkins posted 10 of his 15 points on the night in the second frame, and the Bulldogs carried a narrow 32-30 lead into halftime.
Luray doubled up the visitors in the third quarter behind 11 points from Owens. After hitting 64 percent of their shots in the second quarter, the Eagles went 3-for-12 from the floor (25 percent) in the third and fell behind by a dozen.
Despite going 8-of-9 from the stripe in the fourth quarter, East Rock only hit two buckets from the floor. Luray would only hit two shots as well — both triples — and hit less than 50 percent from the foul line (8-of-17). However, the Bulldogs still won the frame 14-12 and secured an eight-point win.
Junior wing Connor Hilliard went 4-for-6 at the line for Luray in the fourth and recorded 12 points on the night. While Owens, Jenkins and Hilliard are the key scoring trio for the Bulldogs, Luray got some crucial minutes in the paint from senior forward Jae Frye, who had five points.
Behind Smith’s 13 points and Brown’s 12, East Rock got 10 points from senior Treston Jones, who scored three consecutive baskets in the second quarter. Smith put up 18 points against Luray on Dec. 3.
Second half shooting proved to be the difference — while Luray hit nearly 60 percent of its shots, East Rock went 5-for-24 from the floor, or just 21 percent. Each team only committed about a half dozen turnovers during the game.
The win moves Coach Matt Huff’s Bulldogs to 2-1 in the early, non-district portion of its schedule. On Dec. 9, the Bulldogs beat Stuarts Draft at home, 49-45. Next up, Luray hits the road for two games, including a trip to Pendleton County, W.Va. for a 3:30 p.m. tip-off on Saturday, Dec. 14.
The loss was the first of the season for East Rock (4-1), who has defeated Luray, Page, Madison and Rockbridge. Up next, the Eagles remain on the road, traveling to Harrisonburg on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
For schedules, rosters and results, check the Bull Run District website.
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Be the first to comment