OKLA. CITY —
When opposing teams come into Oklahoma City, they know to expect a heavy dose of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. They have proven to be a dangerous team when the dynamic duo are both knocking down shots.
But the Thunder become close to unbeatable when the wealth is spread through the entire lineup. This is what Phoenix found Friday when five players scored in double figures for Oklahoma City as it rolled through the Suns 127-96 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
“It’s a matter of pick your poison with them,” Suns coach Lindsey Hunter said. “They have a lot of guys that aren’t in the headlines, but do a lot for their team. They have a bunch of co-stars who do a great job.”
In the Thunder’s three-game homestand, they won by an average score of 119.3 to 95.0. Durant and Westbrook did not play in the fourth quarter as the contest got out of hand in the third period.
“I love not playing no fourth quarters,” Westbrook said. “It’s great. Good for my legs. Good for my body. We have done a great job of taking care of business. Scotty (Brooks) emphasized to us we need to play a better fourth quarter. But we haven’t played one yet. So maybe he will change his mind on that one.”
Durant took only 11 shots, but was 4 for 5 from 3-point range as he led the Thunder with 21 points. He also collected six rebounds and four assists. Kendric Perkins was 8 for 9 from the field to post 17 points and pull down a game-high nine rebounds. Thabo Sefolosha added 18 points, Russell Westbrook 17 and Kevin Martin 13.
Oklahoma City (38-12) is now 17-1 this season when five players score 10 or more points.
Michael Beasley came off the bench to pace the Suns (17-34) with 25 points and seven rebounds. Goran Dragic posted 19 points and six assists. All three of the Thunder’s wins over the Suns this season have been by more than 10 points.
“The most disappointing thing was everybody hanging their heads down,” Dragic said. “We should fight. It doesn’t matter if it’s 30- or 25-point difference, we should try to fight every possession. That’s the only way you can get better. Their confidence is way down and they just hang their heads down. It’s really frustrating.”
The Thunder were blazing hot to start the game, hitting their first six shots, including a massive two-handed dunk by Westbrook and a 3-pointer from Durant in the first 60 seconds that forced Hunter to call a timeout.
But Dragic kept the Suns from getting run out of the building early as he scored 13 of the team’s first 15 points. Westbrook had no answer for him on the defensive end.
Durant started the night camped out behind the arc. But midway through the second, he added another highlight to his ever-growing list when he dribbled the ball from halfcourt and turned the corner on his defender, leaving an open lane for him to throw down a dunk on the Suns’ Markieff Morris.
The Thunder led 55-50 at halftime.
Oklahoma City went on a 17-5 run to start the third that saw every player get involved. Perkins was knocking down jumpers from 17-feet out.
“I’m just going to keep working,” Perkins said. “Guys are doubling Kevin and Russ now, so I’m just trying to find the open spot. I’ve been watching a lot of film and going to the gym and working on my game.”
However, it was the Thunder’s defense that sparked the victory. After Dragic victimized Westbrook in the first quarter for 16 points, Thunder coach Scott Brooks moved Sefolosha onto him the rest of the game. Dragic was held scoreless until 1:16 left in the third.
Phoenix went more than six minutes without scoring a point as Oklahoma City took a 21-point lead into the fourth.
“It’s great that guys have confidence,” Westbrook said. “That’ s what we need for guys to be confident. In the first half we kind of just let them move around and do what they want. Once we defend, ain’t too many teams that can stop us from scoring.”
Sports
Thunder rolls through Suns, 127-96
- Sports
-
-
Area players earn All-State honors on the diamond
Three area baseball players were selected to the All-State Team this week.
Right-handed pitcher Holden Lyons from Edmond North, made the team after posting a perfect 7-0 mark with a 1.65 earned run average.
Deer Creek’s Cole Lindley made it as an outfielder and Oklahoma Christian’s Austin Brooks landed on the list in the designated hitter’s spot.
The threesome will compete on the Large West squad on July 30 at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. -
Tennis camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Raquet Club is offering a pair of tennis camps beginning May 28.
For ages 5-8, a camp is offered from 8:45-9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and for ages 7-15 a tennis camp is available from 6-6:55 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both camps run from May 28-June 13 and cost is $99 per camp.
A camp session for ages 8-16 will run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-9:25 a.m. May 29-June 12 for the identical cost.
For more information concerning these camps and others, call 341-4241. -
UCO winds up 10th nationally
Taylor Neidy fired a final-round 75, but Central Oklahoma failed to move up in the team standings at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday.
The Bronchos closed with a 323 — making 11 double bogeys and three triples — and finished 10th in the four-day, 72-hole tournament with a 1,298 total on the 6,228-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills Legends Course at LPGA International.
Lynn ended Nova Southeastern’s four-year reign as national championships, finishing with a 1,187 total to edge the Sharks by three strokes. -
Central Oklahoma softballers make World Series again
Hayley Hudson gave Central Oklahoma a 5-4 lead with a run-scoring single in the fifth inning and the No. 19-ranked Bronchos staved off a seventh-inning Winona State threat to capture the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional championship Saturday afternoon at Edmond North High School.
The Warriors put two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in a bid to pull out a late win and force a deciding game in the best-of-three series, but left fielder Devyn Frazier made a running catch in foul territory for the final out to set off a wild celebration on the field.
UCO improved to 47-11 — a school-record for wins — with its 23th consecutive home victory and advanced to the Division II World Series for the second straight year. The Bronchos will face Armstrong Atlantic in the eight-team World Series at 11 a.m. Thursday in Salem, Va.
“I’d say that was a nail-biter,” head coach Genny Stidham said. “It was a good game, both teams played well. Winona has a great team and they didn’t give up, but we came up with some big plays and came out on top. -
Central Oklahoma golf coach picks up award
Central Oklahoma’s Michael Bond has been named the NCAA Division II Central Region Coach of the Year by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association, with Aly Seng and Erica Bensch both earning All-Central Region honors.
Bond led the Bronchos to perhaps the best season in school history in 2012-13 with top-five finishes in 10 of their 12 tournaments. UCO won three titles, including the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association crown and its first-ever regional championship, and finished 10th in the Division II national tournament. -
Workman's blast cranks UCO's engine; Bronchos cruise to 5-2 win
Nicole Workman’s solo home run gave Central Oklahoma a lead it would never relinquish and the No. 19-ranked Bronchos went on to topple Winona State 5-2 in the first game of the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional Friday night at the Edmond North High School Softball Complex.
Workman blasted her 14th homer of the season to lead off the second inning, with UCO adding three runs in the third and one more in the fifth to take a commanding 5-0 lead before the Warriors created some anxious moments in their final at bat.
WSU scored two runs and had runners on second and third on with just one out in the top of the seventh, but Kalynn Shrock got the final two batters to close out her fourth straight complete-game outing of the postseason and put the Bronchos in control of the best-of-three series. -
Richters rip competition at KickingBird
The KickingBird 2-man scramble was won by Jeff and Josh Richter, finishing with a 57.9 on May 11.
Jeff Jester and Kevin Wright wrapped up second-place honors with a 59.9 and Rick Morales and Ronnie Roberts placed third (60.1).
In the second flight, the top score was 60.4 by Jerry Bernhardt and Ted Carter. Picking up silver was the tandem of Jerry Fuller and Ramona Jacobi (61.2) and the third-place squad was Dyke Hoppe and Mark VanSickle at 62.0.
Morales was closest to the pin on No. 6 and Jeff Richter landed a dart on hole 14. -
Eagles' season finished; Lopez earns national honor
Southeastern, Fla. eliminated Oklahoma Christian 4-0 om the National Christian College Athletic Association World Series in Mason, Ohio today to advance to the tournament semifinals, while OC closes at 26-26.
OC would have advanced to the semifinals with a win, but completed a terrific turnaround from an 8-34 season in 2012. The Eagles made only the second national-tournament appearance in the program's history, with the other coming in 1972, when OC finished third in the NAIA World Series. -
Multiple baseball camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Schools baseball coaches Kyle Roberts (Edmond Memorial), Jeff Shafer (Edmond Santa Fe) and Karl King (Edmond North) will instruct the Edmond All-Star Baseball Camps starting May 28 at Edmond North High School.
A pair of all-skills camps will take place for kids ages 5 and older from May 28-31 and June 3-6. Times are the same, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
On June 7, a pitcher/catcher camp will be offered for ages 8 and older with the identical time frame. Cost is $35 for the pitcher/catcher camp and $125 for the all-skills camp.
For further inquiries, contact Karl King at 863-3570. -
Arthur Hills eating up Bronchos
Central Oklahoma’s struggles continued at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. Friday.
The Bronchos made 10 double bogeys and two triple bogeys en route to a season-high 329 score on the rugged 6,228-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills Legends Course at LPGA International, leaving UCO in 10th place with a three-round total of 975.
Nova Southeastern has an 881 total heading into Saturday’s final round, giving the four-time defending champion Sharks a one-shot lead over second-place Lynn. - More Sports Headlines
-
Area players earn All-State honors on the diamond
