The number one seeded Windsor boys opened up on a tear against the visiting number sixteen seed, Randolph Union, in the first round of the DIII playoffs. The Yellowjackets started the game on a 17-2 run over the first six minutes, which was guided by smothering defense and a full-court trap after made baskets. During the run, senior Adam Stapleton recorded six points and two big blocks and junior Robert Slocum had two steals that led to breakaway layups.
To start the second quarter, after a free-throw by Randolph Union’s Chris Jacobs, Windsor went on a 15-2 run that opened the game up. During that stretch, Duncan Frazer, Ben Meagher, and Dakota Page would all hit threes in under a two minute stretch. At the half, the Yellowjackets were already up big, 43-14.
In the third quarter, Randolph Union would try a full-court trap of their own, but to no avail. By the end of the third, the score was 61-26, and with more of the same in the fourth, the final score came to 78-37 in favor of Windsor.
Coach Harry Ladue was able to empty the bench early in the fourth quarter and the Yellowjackets did not miss a beat for the rest of the game. On how those players came in and competed, coach Ladue said, “They have to play with those guys every day. They were digging, scrapping, hit some shots, and they did a pretty good job. So it was a good team effort, everybody got to play a little bit… so that was good” On his team’s hot start that made it easy sailing in the second half, coach Ladue said, “We got out early… hit some shots, and just steamrolled from there. We had a lot of different guys hit threes, so that’s tough to guard… we get it all going at once. [Dakota Page] got a ton of rebounds there early and got us out into the open court. Stapleton got going inside so we had inside and outside.”
Stapleton, on the win, was also aware of how together the Yellowjackets played tonight. He said, “It was definitely a good team win. There weren’t a lot of holes in our offense today. There was a lot of points from the entire team not just one or two guys. I think we stepped up as a whole and that can really take us to the next level.” When asked what it would mean to have his senior season end on the right note, Stapleton said, “Man I would love it. I know my coach deserves it he’s been at this for years and I’d love to be the team that gives it to him.”
The number-one seeded Windsor boys basketball team hosts Oxbo on Friday night at 7PM in the second round of the DIII playoffs.
By Kameron Towle, sports editor
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