CLC's dizzying D flusters Cyclones

They say the best offense is a good defense.

Such was the case for the Central Lakes College men's basketball team Friday as they dismantled the St. Cloud Technical College Cyclones 94-44 with a dizzying combination of full-court pressure and fast-break offense.

Quentin Wilford led the Raiders with 17 points, many off steals created by man-to-man pressure.

The Raiders smothered SCTC on defensive holding them to 26.8-percent shooting and forcing 24 turnovers.

Key: The Raiders held the Cyclones to 27-percent shooting and forced 24 turnovers

Overall: Central Lakes 2-0

Next: Central Lakes hosts Western Technical College in Raider Falls Classic 6 p.m. Saturday.

"It came down to pressuring the basketball. We need to pressure the basketball to be successful," Raider coach Jim Russell said. "You get rewarded for working on the defensive end (with transition points) and tonight the reward came in the second half."

CLC set the tempo early jumping out to a 21-4 lead.

Central Lakes sophomore C.J. Peeters finished with 13 points and five steals and freshmen Caleb Nurnberger ended with 12 points and six assists, Brandon Stegner scored 10 and Bam Glover nine points.

"We work hard in practice, listen to the coach, believe in each other and trust each other and come out and execute plays and that is what got us the W tonight," glover said. "Talk and help D. That is all that coach preaches in practice. We do that and everything else will take care of itself."

Central Lakes is 2-0 and has outscored opponents by an average of 44 points.

"This team has a lot of depth and we have a lot of skill players that are giving up the basketball," Russell said. "We share the basketball real well and you can't say enough about that. These freshman are a pretty good group and the sophomores are really leading us so far."

SCTC 20 24 - 44

Central Lakes 37 57 - 94

SCTC

Drake Smith 8, Chris Walters 3, Ryan Hoelscher 5, Zach Nordling 4, Darren Vivant 3, Jarid Johnson 3, Joe Borders 9, Jake Rengel 2, Josh Day 4. Three-point baskets: 2 (Walters, Borders). Rebounds: 33 (Smith 5, Hoelscher 5). Assists: 4 (Smith 2). TO: 24.

CENTRAL LAKES

Quentin Wilford 17, Caleb Nurnberger 12, Kyle Mickelson 3, Will Kornbaum 2, Dusty Parker 5, C.J. Peeters 13, Illya "Bam" Glover 9, Brandon Stenger 10, Dustin Monson 9, Ryan Peeters 8, Lalo Bellamy 6. Three-point baskets: 8 (Nurnberger 4, C. Peeters 2, Parker, Wilford). Rebounds: 45 (Monson 6). Assits: 26 (Nurnberger 6). TO: 20.

BRYCE CLOUTIER may be reached at bryce.cloutier@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5865.