Ropes beats Sudan, 67-34, improve to 4-1

  • 34-POINT NIGHT - Ropes senior forward Kade Franklin puts up a shot in the paint amidst Sudan defenders during their game this past Tuesday night in Ropes. Franklin would end with 34 points on the night. (Staff photo by Jentezen Smith)
    34-POINT NIGHT - Ropes senior forward Kade Franklin puts up a shot in the paint amidst Sudan defenders during their game this past Tuesday night in Ropes. Franklin would end with 34 points on the night. (Staff photo by Jentezen Smith)
  • BASELINE JUMPER - Ropes senior guard Cutter Stumbo shoots a baseline jump shot with Sudan defenders surrounding him during their game this past Tuesday night in Ropes. Stumbo would score 15 points in the win. (Staff photo by Jentezen Smith)
    BASELINE JUMPER - Ropes senior guard Cutter Stumbo shoots a baseline jump shot with Sudan defenders surrounding him during their game this past Tuesday night in Ropes. Stumbo would score 15 points in the win. (Staff photo by Jentezen Smith)
  • FASTBREAK DRIVE - Ropes junior guard Kolter Dockery drives to the basket on a fast break during their game against Sudan this past Tuesday night in Ropes. Dockery would have four points on the night. (Staff photo by Jentezen Smith)
    FASTBREAK DRIVE - Ropes junior guard Kolter Dockery drives to the basket on a fast break during their game against Sudan this past Tuesday night in Ropes. Dockery would have four points on the night. (Staff photo by Jentezen Smith)

    This past Tuesday night, the Ropes Eagles basketball team hosted the Sudan Hornets, beating them 67-34 to improve to 4-1 on the season.

    Most of the Eagles team just started practicing due to football season just recently ending, so all things considered, the blowout win is quite impressive early in the season.

    “They did a really good job competing,” Ropes Head Coach Cameron Copley said. “We want to be super gritty on defense, to make it tough for people to get in the paint. We don’t want to allow things to be easy, and I thought that’s what we did for the most part. That's five games now on four practices, so we’re happy with where we’re at defensively. Offensively, it’ll get there, shots will start falling.”

    Coach Copley also noted that as time progresses, so will the Eagles offense as they’re still working on offensive installation.

    Even with the team being in the early phases of installation, that didn’t stop senior forward Kade Franklin, who led the team in scoring with 34 points against Sudan.

    Franklin was unstoppable in the paint with 28 points coming from around the area, and the other six came from made free throws, which came off the backs of several and-one efforts.

    “He’s a heck of a player. He’s going to be a mismatch on most nights because of his ability to step outside and take you off the dribble with his size,” Coach Copley said. “That’s what we’re expecting him to do a lot. The load on him is pretty heavy and he’s doing a great job early on, and I’m super proud of him.”

    The other Eagle with double-digit scoring fig ures on the night was senior guard Cutter Stumbo with 15 points. Other scorers included junior forward Kaden Riker with five points, and the trio of junior guards Malikai Mendez, Branson Simental and Kolter Dockery, all with four points.

    They were a part of a great team effort in the Eagles’ blowout win, but Coach Copley still saw things that his team can improve moving forward.

    He noted that the Eagles will be working on their free throw shooting, preventing opponents’ second chance opportunities and playing turnover free basketball.