Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 | 9:32 p.m.
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A typical Silverado High School basketball practice involves a heavy focus on full court press defense.
“We practice it so much, like 30 minutes a practice,” Silverado senior guard Kenyon Giles said.
That press proved to be the difference today in a league game against visiting Sunrise Mountain, as the Skyhawks turned up the defensive pressure in the second half of a 75-32 win.
The Skyhawks only led 25-19 at halftime. By the end of third quarter, when the press produced many easy baskets off turnovers, the Silverado lead grew to 26 points.
At times, Sunrise Mountain couldn’t get the ball over the midcourt line, and only mustered 13 points in the second half.
That, Silverado coach Andy Johnson says, is by design because the Skyhawks’ are heavy on guards. The post player is just 6-foot-1.
“We are a fast team. We have a lot of good athletes,” said Johnson, Silverado’s first-year coach. “But we aren’t the biggest team, so we have to find other ways to play to our strengths and create turnovers.”
Johnson, who formerly coached Findlay Prep to a national championship before leaving town for jobs in Utah and Texas, senses he’s got a sleeping giant at Silverado.
The program is mostly comprised of underclassmen, as his rotation has a combined eight freshmen and sophomores.
Some nights are better than others. Take tonight.
Silverado settled for outside shot after outside shot early against Sunrise Mountain, and only led 12-9 after the first quarter. It wasn’t a pretty display of basketball, Johnson admits.
But, like most nights, Giles took over.
He’s been the best player on the court night in and night out in averaging 20 points and four assists points per game, including a game-winning shot last week against Desert Pines.
The University of Radford signee had a game-high 23 points tonight, and when he wasn’t scoring, he was giving his teammate a pass for an open look in transition.
“We had to lock in on offense because first quarter we were playing selfish,” Giles said. “The coaches came in at halftime and said we have to share the ball. That’s what we did. It was smooth sailing in the second half,”
Jeron Haynes added 12 points for Silverado (8-3), Kollin Ngo had nine and Damion Byrd II contributed eight. For Sunrise Mountain, Beoh Johnson and Camryn Berry each scored 11.
“We started moving the basketball in the second half,” Johnson said. “Had 10 assists in the second half, and the ball really popped. It really moved.”
