Strong Findlay finish zaps Bishop Gorman, 88-63

By Rob Miech

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009 | 9:21 p.m.

Ahead by 11 points with six minutes remaining Thursday night at Bishop Gorman High, Findlay College Prep slipped into another gear to finish off the Gaels.

The Pilots scored 17 of the game’s final 20 points, securing an 88-63 victory to improve to 26-0.

“We just knew it was crunch time,” said Findlay junior point guard Cory Joseph.

“We told everyone we had to stay together, play defense and make some shots,” said Pilots senior guard D.J. Richardson. “It was a great game, one of the best games I’ve played.”

Senior forward Victor Rudd had 22 points, senior guard Avery Bradley scored 21 and Richardson chipped in with 19 for the Pilots.

Bishop Gorman dropped to 22-5.

“It’s the second year in a row we played them right before the playoffs, and it’s a no-lose situation for us,” said Gaels coach Grant Rice. “We don’t see talent like that very often, which is great. That’s a first-class operation. I think we did a good job. We played hard. I thought it was closer than a 25-point game.”

Bishop Gorman cut its deficit to 71-60 in the fourth quarter when Findlay peeled away from the Gaels, who got no field goals the rest of the way.

Joseph converted a smooth pull-up jumper to start the spree, and UNLV-bound center Carlos Lopez slipped in a hook shot and a free throw from a Gaels foul.

Rudd sank a pair of free throws and followed that with a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Bradley canned two free throws and then delivered a highlight of the game.

Earlier, he hung on the rim after slamming down a dunk and was called for a technical foul, even though a Bishop Gorman player stood below him. Officials usually allow hanging on a rim if a player is in a precarious situation, to avoid injury.

So on the possession after his free throws made it 83-63, Bradley, who will play for Texas next fall, cruised down court and spied an opening in the right lane.

His emphatic tomahawk dunk was fueled by that earlier technical.

“I always tell myself not to get into it with refs,” Bradley said. “I was kind of angry about that technical. (The dunk) was in my head. I saw the lane.”

Two free throws by Rudd and one by sophomore guard Rasham Suarez closed the scoring for the No. 2 team in the land, according to the latest Super 25 poll by USA Today.

Findlay coach Mike Peck blamed himself for some of his team’s sluggishness. In a timeout, he told his players that he wasn’t “seeing it” or “feeling it.”

He asked the Pilots, especially Joseph, what they were seeing and feeling, and what they thought would work. Joseph came up with a few schemes that powered Findlay to its strong finish.

“Cory’s a great player,” said Richardson. “He’ll be a top-20 prospect this summer, and he’s one of our best offensive rebounders. We should all crash the boards like him. When he speeds up, I speed up. When he slows down, I slow down. He has great control of this team.”

Findlay plays host to Stoneridge Prep at the Henderson International School, with which the Pilots are affiliated, on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.