Paul, Warren power past Hrynyk, Bartlett
Bartlett forward Cory Hrynyk is the kind of player who can put a team on his shoulders.
Wednesday night Hrynyk scored 19 points in a win against Fremd, and Friday in the second game of the Vikings Thanksgiving Tournament, the senior was on fire again in the second quarter.
Hrynyk scored 10 consecutive points to give Bartlett a halftime lead but this time its opponent -- Warren -- was able to overcome the Hawks.
Blue Devils guard Brandon Paul poured in 28 points and a stifling second-half defense held Bartlett in check in a 64-53 Warren victory.
"I think that in both halves, we started well," said Warren (2-0) coach Chuck Ramsey. "The difference was that in the second half we able to sustain it."
Bartlett trailed 18-9 after 1 quarter but two 3s, a rebound and putback and baseline drive and layup from Hrynyk (16 points) gave the Hawks a halftime advantage.
"He's a dangerous shooter," said Ramsey of Hrynyk. "He had five 3s the other night (against Fremd.) He hardly missed."
"He carried us in the second quarter," added Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith.
But it was Paul doing the heavy lifting in the final 16 minutes. The junior opened the third quarter with a 3 to put Warren ahead to stay.
Paul scored 9 points in the third quarter, while Hrynyk was held to just a field goal as the Blue Devils opened up a 44-33 lead.
"We didn't make any changes (to our defense)," said Ramsey. "We just did a better job of it in the second half."
Bartlett (1-1) wasn't able to close the gap in the fourth quarter despite three straight 3-pointers by sophomore guard Luke Labedski.
"Luke flat out can shoot," said Wolfsmith. "You're going to be hearing a lot more from him. He was big down the stretch to keep us in it."
Six-foot-9 senior center Kamil Janton scored 12 points for Bartlett, while Scott Geske and Eric Williams each chipped in with 8 for the Blue Devils.
"The biggest improvement today," said Ramsey, "was turnovers. We had 20 the other night but only 9 today, and today there was more pressure on the ball."
"Basketball is a game of rhythms," said Wolfsmith. "They had a nice rhythm in the first quarter, but then we settled in.
"In the second half, though, we didn't have any kind of a rhythm at all."