The Colony tips off the season with a win

The Colony Cougars (1-0) started their season with a victory as they hosted the Lake Highlands Wildcats (1-1), Tuesday night at Tommy Thomas Gymnasium. The Cougars didn’t have much of a challenge from the guard-heavy Wildcats who allowed The Colony’s two forwards Kahiel Spears and Bryce Okpoh to combine for 36 points.

The Cougars jumped out to a 19-8 first-quarter lead and headed into the locker room up 26, 48-22. The lead grew to as many as 40 (90-50) in the final minutes of the game. The Colony went on to win 96-60.

Okpoh got the best of the Wildcats going for a game-high 24 points. The 6-foot-6 athlete stepped into the lane to score off dump passes and short jumpers. During his time on the court, Okpoh used his athleticism and spin moves to get separation to finish over his opponents.

Unsigned senior, 6-foot-6 Spears is ready to have a big year and showed some of his versatility while scoring 12 points for the Cougars. Spears was in the right spots on both ends of the court to make a bucket or get a defensive stop. He rebounded and blocked shots, and altered several more. Offensively Spears scored using his long thin frame to spring over the defense. His reach gave him the opportunities needed to be successful.

"Things went our way and our guys played with a lot of energy," said head coach Cleve Ryan. "Everyone that stepped out onto the floor played well, and we got a lot of players involved in the win."

"Our game plan was to keep shooters in the corners," said Spears. "It worked out perfectly as our guards knocked in open threes and that allowed us to move the ball inside and out."

Spears talks about the advantages that the Cougars have out on the floor.

"Coach [Ryan] always stresses that we have the length and the size to go inside and makes plays. We need to use our length to score and rebound and we did that for the win."

Head coach Cleve Ryan of The Colony was pleased with his guard play of Jaylon Boyd and Luis Rodriguez. Each brought a little different style as the lead guards and they combined for 29 points. Boyd passes the eye test and is a sneaky penetrator hitting runners, the mid-range jumper and he peppers in three-pointers. Rodriguez is a speedster that gets open off the pass and cuts to the open spots behind the arc. Rodriguez nailed five threes in the win.

"We were able to go inside/out and the kick out was there tonight and I was able to knock down my shots," said Rodriguez. "Jaylon [Boyd] and I have developed great chemistry and we feed off each other. It's our energy that helps us makes plays."

The Wildcats struggled to put points up but juniors Devin Kiner (16 points) and Langston Flowers (14 points) did the majority of the scoring. Kiner is a strong guard who likes to get set for the three but showed that he was a bit more effective as a slasher. He has a nice first step to the basket and has the body to take contact and finish. Flowers is a lefty point guard with good length for his 5-foot-9 frame. He pushes the ball and will penetrate and dish. He took open three-point shots and has a nice touch.