Explorers outrun Cavalry

By LEE VERNOY
Tribune Sports Writer

Link: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071206/SPORTS/712060322/1006/SPORTS

The Great Falls Explorers finally have a curved number in the win column, but what looks even better to the rest of the Continental Basketball Association is the number in the loss column for the Oklahoma Cavalry.

And it isn't a zero.

The Explorers handed the Cavalry of coach Micheal Ray Richardson their first loss of the season Wednesday night with a 107-103 decision in front of about 250 fans at Four Seasons Arena, taking the lead for good in the second quarter and then hanging on for dear life in the second half.

It's win No. 2 against seven losses for the Explorers. Great Falls won the second quarter outright, and tied the first and fourth stanzas, to give the team five points for the win and 18.5 points in the CBA's quarter-point system.

And those in attendance were wondering during the four minutes of the game if the lead was going to hold. The Cavalry (5-1) didn't exactly have a great shooting night, especially from long distance, where they only made two out of 12 tries from beyond the arc. But they employed a smothering, in-your-face defense in the fourth quarter that kept the Explorers from getting good looks at the hoop and forced several turnovers.

"We got a lead, but we got a little over-cautious," Explorers head coach Scott Wedman said. "We didn't keep the pedal to the metal ... lost our composure, but we got it back."

Getting the center tandem of Mike Harmon and Tyler Hughes going was a big key. The 6-11 Harmon failed to score, but pulled down a half-dozen rebounds, blocked three shots and dished out a pair of assists. Former Kansas State Wildcat Hughes, also 6-11, came through with a pair of resounding dunks in the first half, finishing with 12 points and hauling in 11 boards, including six off the offensive glass.

"Once you get (Harmon and Hughes) going, we have an excellent inside-outside game," Wedman said. "Both of them have a lot of potential."

Another big key was the Explorers' shooting from outside ... way outside, that is. Shooting guard Keith Salscheider, in his second year in Great Falls, hit both of his 3-point tries in the second half, finishing with three trifectas for the night and 23 points to lead six Explorers in double figures.

Nate Johnson was 2-for-2 from behind the arc, scoring 18 markers and dishing out a game-high eight assists. Nate Green tossed in 16, Cody Toppert added 15 and Najeeb Echols chucked in 13 points and hauled down five boards.

Daryan Selvy had 24 points to pace the Cavalry, with Marvin Phillips grabbing 11 rebounds to go with 12 points. Curtis Haywood added 20 and Albert Robinson 17 for the visitors, who shot just 39 percent from the floor in the second half.

"I would hope that was partly our 'D', and partly because they had a bad night," Wedman said.

The same two clubs meet again tonight at 6:05 at Four Seasons Arena.