By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park boys basketball coach Michael Williams has been looking for his Scots to play with a little more urgency out of the gate.
Williams got his wish Tuesday night at Manhattan, with the Scots rolling to a 17-5 first-quarter lead and a 28-14 halftime advantage on the way to a 61-47 Centennial League victory.
CJ Powell, a 6-foot-7 senior, had big first and fourth quarters for Highland Park, scoring 11 points in the opening quarter and 10 in the fourth, finishing with a game-high 27 points to lead the way as the Scots evened their record at 5-5 (4-3 in the league) with their second straight win.
Junior Juan'Tario Roberts added 14 points with a pair of 3-pointers for Highland Park.
Manhattan (3-4, 2-2) got 24 points from senior Owen Braxmeyer, including 3 3-pointers, to lead the Indians.
The Indians used an 18-13 third quarter to cut Highland Park's lead to 41-32 at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Scots closed out their win with a 20-15 fourth-quarter scoring edge.
HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 61, MANHATTAN 47
Highland Park 17 11 13 20 -- 61
Manhattan 5 9 18 15 -- 47
Highland Park (5-5, 4-3) -- Peppers 3 1-2 8, Powell 12 2-4 27, Kingcannon 1 0-0 3, Prosper 0 0-0 0, Roberts 6 0-0 14, Richardson 1 0-0 2, Simms 0 0-0 0, Daniels 2 3-4 7, Flores 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 6-10 61.
Manhattan (3-4, 2-2) -- Hall 0 0-0 0, Braxmeyer 10 1-1 24, Brown 0 0-0 0, Perkins 2 2-2 8, Reid 1 1-1 3, Wilson 0 2-2 2, Carr 1 3-3 6, Wilson 2 0-2 4. Totals 16 9-11 47.
3-point goals -- Highland Park 5 (Roberts 2, Peppers, Powell, Kingcannon), Manhattan 6 (Braxmeyer 3, Perkins 2, Carr). Total fouls -- Highland Park 14, Manhattan 12. Fouled out -- none.
