A 5-0 league start, with their next four OAA contests in the friendly confines of the Lake Orion High School Fieldhouse, has the Dragons on the inside track to a title.
Four players scored in double figures on Friday night, led by Cole Moore’s double-double as the Dragons took down Troy Athens 50-35.
Lake Orion also topped Birmingham Groves 59-49 earlier last week, as the team kicked off its season-high seven-game homestand.
The motivation of a somewhat lethargic effort against Groves fueled strong starts by the Dragons in both halves versus Athens.
‘We all, on Tuesday, were left with a bad taste in our mouths,? Coach Jim Manzo said. ‘You could tell they were ready to play.?
Up by seven at the break, the Dragons put the game away in the opening minutes of the third quarter.
Manzo said that at halftime he, along with assistant coaches Jesse Heck and Dave Tooley, told low-post players Moore, Drew Maynard and Chris Lum to get more aggressive.
They informed the trio that they had just one foul between them.
‘They challenged me, Maynard and Lum to get to the glass every time,? Moore said.
‘He told us he wanted to keep them under 50,? Moore said of Athens? scoring output, ‘and we wanted to keep them under 40.?
Athens had 24 at the break and managed just 11 in the entire second half.
‘That third quarter was the best quarter of baskeball we’ve had in a long time,? Manzo said.
Lake Orion outscored Athens 15-6 in that stanza, highlighted by a couple of Maynard dunks and an incredible hustle play from Lum, who disappeared into the student section, then sprinted 90 feet in a matter of seconds to force a turnover on the defensive end.
Neither team did much scoring in a fourth quarter that featured Lake Orion playing keep-away to preserve their lead.
Moore scored 13 points and added 12 rebounds in the win.
‘Drew was passing the ball, and Devin (Hamilton),? Moore said. ‘We were playing as a team. I got some easy buckets. It was a good team effort.?
Maynard added 12 points and Lum and Hamilton both scored 10.
Hamilton led the team against Groves with a career-high 22 points.
‘After the road trip, we came home and wrote 2-2 on our board,? Manzo said. ‘We were 4-1 on the road, but only 2-2 at home.?