Relentless Coronado routs Foothill to clinch league title
By JUSTIN EMERSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Coronado’s Nick Davis (3) looks for a pass during the first half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Foothill’s Mauricio Smith (4) hangs of the back of Coronado’s Nick Davis (3) after Davis makes a quick stop during the second half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Coronado’s Kennedy Koehler (30) shoots over Foothill’s Mauricio Smith (4) during a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Foothill’s Mauricio Smith (4) shoots during the first half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Coronado’s Will Weems (11) shoots a free throw during a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Coronado’s Bryce Savoy (15) shouts at a Foothill player during the first half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Coronado’s head coach Jeff Kaufman coaches during the first half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Coronado’s Kennedy Koehler (30) shoots a layup over Foothill’s Carl Fischer (34) during the first half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Foothill’s head coach Kevin Soares coaches during halftime at a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Foothill’s Jace Roquemore (22) shoots a layup against Coronado’s Kennedy Koehler (30) during the second half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Foothill’s Marvin Coleman (31) drives down the court during the second half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
Coronado players cheer during the second half of a high school basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Henderson. (Christian K. Lee/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @chrisklee_jpeg
The last time Coronado’s boys basketball team lost a league game was Feb. 12, 2014. It was against Foothill, and the Falcons had a chance to snap the Cougars’ 28-game league winning streak Tuesday night.
Coronado was not going to be stopped. The Cougars scored 27 points in the third quarter and rolled to a 76-46 home victory to clinch the Southeast League title for the third straight year.
“We never take it easy,” said senior Will Weems, who scored a game-high 22 points for the Cougars. “Our No. 1 goal is to go 10-0 in league play, and it doesn’t matter that we clinched the No. 1 seed. We still want to go 10-0.”
The Cougars (14-9, 9-0 Southeast) are almost there after a dominant performance against the second-place Falcons (20-7, 6-3). Weems was the heart of that, hitting multiple field goals in every quarter and throwing down two thunderous first-half dunks.
Coming out of halftime with a 35-23 lead, Coronado didn’t allow Foothill to hang around. The Cougars went to a full-court press, and it paid dividends late in the third quarter when they held Foothill scoreless for the final 2½ minutes while scoring 12 points.
“I know Foothill very well, and they know us very well, and they aren’t going to stop,” Coronado coach Jeff Kaufman said. “If you let them get a little confidence, then you have a problem.”
Coronado, which started the season 4-7, has been a force since league play began, beating Southeast opponents by an average of 22.6 points. The Cougars’ margin of victory Tuesday was their second-largest of the season, and they held the Falcons to a season scoring low.
Senior Kennedy Koehler scored 20 for the Cougars, and he and Weems each had eight rebounds. Senior Trey Hurlburt added 14 points.
Foothill’s Mauricio Smith had team highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
