Balanced Findlay Prep cruises to win

It’s a good thing Findlay Prep’s basketball team doesn’t have a promotion in which concessions become free after the Pilots score 100 points.

Otherwise, fans would have been lining up at halftime Saturday night.

The Pilots scored 73 first-half points on their way to a 114-40 romp over visiting La Jolla Prep (Calif.) at Henderson International. Seven players scored in double figures for Findlay Prep.

“We’ve kind of hit a good rhythm right now,” Pilots coach Michael Peck said. “I just told them to maintain that and 'continue to do what you’ve done.’ We’re playing unselfishly, sharing the ball and getting some easy buckets in transition, and our guys did a great job in that regard.”

Senior center Matt Willms scored 14 points for Findlay Prep (8-0), which is ranked No. 3 in the nation by USA Today.

Dominic Artis, a senior point guard, came off the bench for the Pilots and finished with 13 points and 11 assists in a game in which the entire second half was played with a running clock.

“He’s getting a good rhythm with our guys and our system,” Peck said of Artis, who has signed with Oregon. “He’s being more efficient with his dribble. We’re happy and pleased with his progress.”

Winston Shepard had 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Findlay Prep, which led 73-15 at halftime. Teammate Nigel Williams-Goss supplied 11 points and six assists.

Brandon Ashley had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Findlay Prep, and teammates Amedeo Della Valle and Anthony Bennett scored 11 each.

“We’re going to need depth as the season goes on,” Peck said.

La Jolla Prep (3-5) was whistled for a technical foul before the game began when a player dunked during warm-ups, and the Waves fell into an 8-0 hole before a minute had come off the clock.

Jake Cipollett scored nine points, and Andre McPhail added eight points for the undermanned Waves.

NOTES — The Pilots’ next game is at 7 p.m. Monday against visiting Westwind Prep (Ariz.), which features Washington State signee Demarquise Johnson, a one-time UNLV recruiting target. … Findlay Prep junior forward and UNLV commit Chris Wood, who scored all eight of his points in the second half, stayed afterward to practice along with Bennett.