ORANGE LEAGUE BOYS’ BASKETBALL : Steady Magnolia Pounds Savanna

Savanna came out against Magnolia looking as though it might set a record for three-point shooting. The Rebels made five three-pointers in the first quarter on their way to a six-point lead in the battle for first place in the Orange League.

But by game’s end, they appeared to be going for another record--most turnovers in a half. The visiting Rebels scored only 13 points in the second half and were soundly beaten by an opportunistic Magnolia team, 61-46, Wednesday night.

Savanna (11-10, 5-2), tied with Magnolia at 39 going into the fourth quarter, scored the first points of the fourth quarter on a Dan Avila jumper. From there, the Rebels turned the ball over six consecutive times and went nearly six minutes before scoring again. By the time Paul Waldrop made one of two free throws with 2 minutes 13 seconds left, Magnolia (16-6, 6-1) had a 52-42 lead.

“Magnolia decided to play defense tonight,” Savanna Coach C.D. Snider said. “We usually don’t turn it over much, but it happened (Wednesday). They’re a lot bigger than we are and they have long arms, which makes it tough to throw over them.”

Magnolia center Brandon Hearvey said the defensive intensity came from his coach Al Wallin.

“We put on the defense pretty hard,” Hearvey said. “We got yelled at pretty bad at halftime. He told us to stop the three-pointers and to get in their face.”

Savanna guard Malcolm Dougan scored 11 points on three three-pointers in the first quarter, but he attempted only one more three-pointer after that and he didn’t score again. Savanna finished with six three-pointers as Jermaine Moore’s second-quarter three was the Rebels’ last one of the game.

Meanwhile, Hearvey (18 points, eight rebounds) and Todd Callahan (six points, 10 rebounds) went to work inside and Shawn Scott (11 points, three three-pointers) and Frank Henderson (17 points) provided the outside punch.