After playing five games in seven days, the Allen Red Devils are in need of a break, head coach Patrick Nee admitted.
“I’m exhausted,” he said Monday, after the Red Devils fended off a pesky Bethany JV squad, 87-70. “I know my players are tired. But we’re happy where we are. Our progress is not as quick as we wanted to happen, but we’re on track.”
The Red Devils dished out 28 assists and had five players in double figures while shooting 50% from the field.
The first half was particularly solid, as the Red Devils rode the hot hand of Grayson Ryan to a 55-32 lead at the break.
Ryan hit a trio of 3-pointers late in the first half to help extend the lead.
But despite suiting up only seven players for the contest, Bethany was relentless in attacking the ACC defense in the second half.
“Giving up 70 points to a JV team is way too many,” Nee admitted.
The Swedes trimmed Allen’s lead to 60-49 before Allen regained its footing, primarily by moving the ball well to create open looks.
“A lot of that came from transition,” Nee said. “But 28 assists is a big number for us. Anytime you’re hovering around 30 assists for a game, that’s pretty big-time.”
Ryan led the way with 21 points, while Randy Crosby — whose game-winning 3-pointer propelled ACC to a 77-75 win over Southeast Nebraska two nights earlier — followed with 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
“When he’s engaged defensively, he changes our team,” Nee said.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect from Monday’s win was the leadership the players are exhibiting on the court, he added.
“If your leadership is always your coaches, you’re going to be pretty average,” Nee said. “But when your players start taking that leadership role, by starting to do things I’m thinking on their own, that excites me. There were a couple of defensive trap plays they’re starting to do on their own.
“I’m a new coach to 99% of the kids,” he added. “When they start to get me, that gets me excited.”
David Teele added 12 points and six rebounds. EJ Lewis and Killian Spellman followed with 10 points each. Tyonn Scott, in his first start of the season in place of the injured Dirk Johnson, blocked five shots and scored six points.
