MANCHESTER, N.H. – The playoffs are here and the Blue Knights of Manchester West wanted Thursday’s regular season finale to serve as a statement.
With the energy of senior night and the possibility of a post-season home game on the line, the Blue Knights demolished John Stark, 86-53.
Things were close early, with the teams tied at 16 each following the first quarter and West holding a 32-26 lead at the half. Then the Generals just ran out of gas.
Although John Stark outrebounded West in the third quarter (13-11), the Blue Knights got off eight more shots, had better accuracy from the field (61.1% to 25.0%) and found six three-pointers as the hosts opened up a 61-44 lead that would not be approached for the rest of the night.
“We wore them out physically,” said West Head Coach Justin Gorham. “We run and push the ball. That’s our goal.”
John Stark’s Christian Barr was matched up with West phenom Kur Teng for most of the night, and Barr sizzled early with 18 points, six rebounds and three steals in the first half alone. But the fatigue that found the rest of John Stark came to Barr as well as Barr went 2-for-7 over the rest of the contest, picking up a late technical that saw the end of his night.
Meanwhile, Teng had 13 points and eight boards in a second half punctuated by his second fast-break slam dunk of the night.
“There are not many guys that can stay in front of (Kur), and that guy couldn’t either,” said Gorham. “He’s 14, and the other guy was a senior, so I think (Kur) handled himself pretty well there.”
Teng had 23 while Martins Robles finished with 20 for West. Barr led the Generals with 22 points, getting 10 rebounds on the night for the double-double. Barr’s technical was the Generals’ second technical of the night, with West also picking up a technical as the Blue Knights were shooting free throws on John Stark’s first technical.
Next up for West is Oyster River, who beat the Blue Knights on the road earlier this season. This time though, West is the host, with the game on Monday at 7.
“We’re just excited to be in it,” said Gorham. “We want to play well enough to win. Whoever we play, we play and we’ll do the best we can.”
