Defense propels Adelson School to opening win

Adelson School boys basketball coach Rob Blackwell watched his team grow in several areas during the program’s first varsity season last year.

On Monday night, the Lions showed defense is certainly one of them.

Adelson opened the season by holding Spring Mountain to single-digit scoring in all but the first quarter on the way to a 44-27 win at Saville Middle School.

Spring Mountain (0-1) closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run, but Adelson didn’t change up its defense afterward.

“We were faithful to our 2-3 zone,” Blackwell said. “Our rotations really work well for us when we’re communicating and when the weakside guys rotate. I thought we did a great job of that.”

Gil Reginiano led the Lions with 12 points, five assists and four steals.

“Our defense really stepped up,” said Adelson guard Aaron Lapping, who scored seven points. “Everybody was contributing.”

De’Andre Hampton accounted for more than half of Spring Mountain’s scoring, tallying 14 points.

The Eagles were held to four points in both the second and third quarters.

“What I told them in the locker room was, 'I’m glad you lost the way you did,’ ” Spring Mountain coach Ed Cheltenham said. “When they watch the video tomorrow, they’ll see they’re not attacking.

“They got worried, threw the ball away. They were being robotic, telegraphing their passes. Those are the kinds of things they learn after the first week.”