2008 Woodie Awards
De Anza offense dominant in easy win over Hartnell
MEN'S HOOPS AVERAGES 94 PPG IN TWO VICTORIES
Nate Green / La Voz
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Aaron Buckner stepped on the court and he was trouble. Last week, he messed around and got a triple-double. Well, almost.
The De Anza guard fell one assist short of achieving the feat in the team's 103-85 win over Hartnell last Friday. Buckner finished the game with 26 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and two steals. "We just give him the ball and get out of the way!" said De Anza assistant coach Jason Billie.
De Anza (12-13 overall, 4- 4 conference) had trouble dealing with Hartnell's fast-break offense in the early going. Hartnell (9-15, 2-5) came out with lots of energy, keeping up the pace with constant running and quick passes. They electrified the crowd with an alley-oop from Brock Beck to E.J. Petty early on in the game.
The teams kept up the pace for the rest of the first half, but play looked sloppy at times. There were several bad turnovers and unnecessary fouls. Both teams were in the free-throw bonus early.
Hartnell controlled most of the first half, staying in the lead until Buckner took over the game. He scored seven straight points to end the first half, giving De Anza a 44-38 lead as they headed into the locker room.
The De Anza offense unleashed its full fury in the second half. Buckner ran the offense to near-perfection, finding the open man and giving his teammates easy scoring opportunities.
De Anza opened up a 20- point lead with 14 minutes to go. They never looked back. Four other De Anza players scored in double figures. Bryan Adams pitched in 21 points while Lynnard Barnes added 17 and Kurt Darrell had 13. Adrian Valderrama poured in 12 points, all on three-pointers.
De Anza reached .500 in Coast Conference play after an 85-81 victory over Monterey Peninsula (16-12, 3-5) on Wednesday. Long-range shooting made the difference, as De Anza made 10 three-pointers. Adams hit five of those baskets, leading the team with 28 points. Buckner scored 18.
This article appears in the Feb. 6, 2006 print edition of La Voz.