If you ask KIPP head coach Moody Bey what the most important quarter of a basketball game is, he’ll tell you it’s the third quarter.
Friday evening in its home gym, No. 13 KIPP played to that philosophy pretty well en route to a 62-34 victory against No. 20 Drury.
Leading just 26-12 at halftime, Bey said the quarter “had to be ours.”
“It can either go up to 20 or down to 10,” Bey said. “We really doubled-down on the gameplan.”
They certainly did. The Panthers won the third quarter 17-5 behind, frankly, a ferocious defensive effort.
“We defend with college principles,” Bey said. “We’re helping outside the paint with five guys moving as one.”
KIPP, which will face No. 4 Pioneer Valley Regional on Tuesday (6 p.m.), allowed just five points in the first quarter and seven in the second.
“I loved our defense [and] I think we go as far as our defense takes us,” Bey said.
That said, KIPP’s offense is pretty good, too. Sophomore Trosky Pena (21 points) led the way, followed by Osaru Evbenaye (16) and Vic Mafo (10).
“We have five or six guys who have scored 20 points [in a game] this season,” Bey said. “Offensively, that’s going to handle itself – we’re not worried about that.”
The sky’s the limit for KIPP. Even after scoring 145 points in two playoff games (the first an 83-45 win against Rising Tide), Bey believes there is room to grow.
“Offensively, we haven’t really been clicking yet,” Bey, who’s in the midst of his debut season, said.
In a telling first page of a dominant book, KIPP scored field goals on its first two possessions while Drury committed two turnovers.
And in the second quarter, senior Juan Setalsingh (6 assists) stole the show with his pass-first approach. After the game, he admitted it’s his favorite way to play.
“They trust me to make the pass, and I trust them to make the shot,” Setalsingh said of his teammates. “And they’re also smart… if the guy is coming up high, they’re going to go down low. If the guy is down low, they’re going to hit the shot.”
Whether it was a tight bounce pass or a lob through the air, he orchestrated with ease. When asked if Setalsingh has fun playing that way, Bey was quick to respond.
“Absolutely,” Bey said. “Back-to-back MVP in football… the guys love him because he gives them free shots.”
“His IQ is above a high school player,” Bey said.
Between Bey and Setalsingh, the compliments go both ways.
“He’s a great coach and a great guy,” Setalsingh said. “He’ll always support us on or off the court… he’s also pushing people up instead of bringing people down.”
KIPP, with its North-South playstyle, extended its lead after every quarter. The Panthers look to keep that momentum going in their first game as visitors come Tuesday.
