Raiders silence Thunder

After scoring just two points and two assists compared to six turnovers, Fond Du Lac Thunder point guard LaDarius Fraizer may as well have carried a white flag as he fouled out with a little more than seven minutes remaining in the second half.

Fraizer was worn down, frustrated and mentally defeated by the incessant defensive pressure applied by the Central Lakes Raiders that sparked a 100-54 rout during the Central Lakes Fall Classic Friday.

Raiders 100,

Fond Du Lac 54

Key: Sparked by Caleb Nurnberger, the Raiders broke the game open midway through the first half with a 26-5 run

Div: CLC 1-0

Overall: CLC 4-1

Next: Central Lakes vs. Anoka-Ramsey 6 p.m. Saturday

"Mark McDonald was a big part of (our defensive pressure)," Raiders coach Jim Russell said. "Their point guard was tired, didn't want to play. They couldn't run their stuff. He just fouled to get out of the game."

Marcus Ayala got off to a quick start scoring six of the Raiders' first nine points anchoring an early 9-2 lead, but it was Caleb Nurnberger who helped the Raiders put the game away early.

With the game knotted at 12, Milos Prijovic and Ahmed Farah provided lay-ups before Nurnberger drilled three 3-pointers and added another basket from the free-throw line, scoring 10 of the Raiders next 21 points for a 38-17 lead. Nurnberger finished with 12 points, two rebounds and two assists.

Despite Russell's imploring of his team to maintain the intensity, the Raiders became complacent closing the half with just a 15-point lead.

At halftime, Russell spoke of coming out strong.

"(He told us) just come out strong because this game wasn't over," sophomore guard Erik Peeters said. "The first five minutes you have to show them they can't come back."

Russell's talk worked as the Raiders played with renewed fervor and exploded for their second big run of the night - a 13-2 run over the first 3:05 in the half that ultimately put the game out of reach.

The run, sparked by the Raiders defensive pressure and up-tempo transition offense, prevented the Thunder from settling in defensively. As the Thunder found themselves on their heels, the Raiders offense came to life as good off-ball movement freed up Nash Faulk for 16 second-half points, including 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.

"Early in the game, we had to play half court and they really keyed on Faulk because they knew he was a shooter," Russell said. "Give our point guards credit, they found him in the second half."

Six Raiders finished with double-digit scoring led by Faulk's 19, Ayala's 15, Peeters' 14, Nurnberger's 12, and Eric Green and Filip Vukasin 10 each. Nick Grewe, pulled down 10 rebounds.

The unbending Raiders defense silenced the Thunder, limiting them to a mere 22 percent shooting from the field and allowing just one double-digit scorer - Curtis Houle with 21.

Fond Du Lac 32 22 - 54

Central Lakes 47 53 - 100

FOND DU LAC

Curtis Houle 21, Travis Huesers 8, LaDarius Fraizer 2, Bruce Brooks 5, Steve Lykes 9, Terrence Neal 6, Greg Summers 3. FG 18-79 (22 percent), FT 20-32 (62.5 percent), 3-point baskets: 2 (Houle, Huesers).

CENTRAL LAKES

Marcus Ayala 15, Eric Green 10, Caleb Nurnberger 12, Nash Faulk 19, Erik Peeters 14, Cody Hofmann 7, Ahmed Farah 7, Milos Prijovic 5, Filip Vukasin 10, Mohamed Barre 1. FG 48-94 (51 percent), FT 17-28 (60.7 percent), 3-point baskets: 13 (Faulk 4, Nurnberger 3, Peeters 2, Ayala, Green, Hofmann, Prijovic).

Rebounds: CLC 56 (Grewe 10, Peeters 7), FDL 40. Assists: CLC 20 (Ayala 5), FDL 4. Turnovers: CLC 20, FDL 21. Steals: CLC 13 (Ayala 4), FDL 7.