By John Robbins of Buttesports.com
Butte Central 77 VS Park 44
History was made again by another Maroon tonight, Dougie Peoples came in needing only 11 points to surpass Jumping Joe Kelly for most all time points in Butte boys basketball history, he did it in the 3rd quarter as the Maroons cruise to victory led by their big three of Dougie Peoples, Eric Loos, and Kyle Holter.
The Maroons opened up the game on an early 12-4 run led by Eric Loos and Dougie People’s, Kyle Holter took one baseline and jammed it home for two more, 14-4 Butte.
Park would come back down and hit a mid-range jumper, answered right back by Dougie Peoples. Park would hit a free throw and quick jumper for two with a minute left to make it 16-9 Butte Central.
Dougie Peoples hit another two before the period ended and gave the Maroons a 18-9 advantage after one quarter of play. Park came out to begin the second and scored a little jumper in the key to cut the lead to 7.
Dougie would hit another triple to go up 10 but Park came right back and answered with a three of their own and they never stopped attacking the hoop and being aggressive.
Jack Keleley and Kyle Holter would each contribute on the Maroons next two possessions to give the Maroons a 12-point lead with 3:30 to play.
The Maroons worked the ball down low to Zane Moodry who posted his defender up and hit a little turnaround hook for two more.
Eric Loos would then find Kyle Holter on a beautiful back cut to the hoop, he would be fouled make the shot and complete the old fashioned three-point play 31-14 Maroons. Central continued to push the pace as Eric Loos went right at his defender, no hesitation and hit a beautiful turnaround jumper for two.
Houston Dunn would finally slow the bleeding as he hit a triple to end the scoring drought and the Maroons would lead 35-17 but not before Josh Sutton canned a triple in the corner of his own for the Maroons and they would take a 38-17 lead to the half.
Eric Loos picked up where he left off in the first half scoring the first bucket of the 3rd quarter for the Maroons.
Kyle Holter would cash in another two ball and draw a charge on Parks next offensive possession. Eric Loos was relentless as he would flash the key again get a pass from Owen McPartland and hit another turnaround jumper for two, 44-21 Maroons.
Kyle Holter came skying across the key, grabbed a rebound midair and put it back for two more, Owen McPartland would join in as well on the scoring party as he sunk a triple, 49-25 Central with 3:48 remaining in the quarter.
Kyle Holter was playing as confident as ever and buried a triple in the corner for another Maroon 3 pointer. Dougie Peoples would drive the lane the very next possession and hit a lay in for two a timeout was taken.
During the timeout they honored Dougie Peoples, who became the all-time leader in Butte boys’ varsity basketball points scored with 1,406 points, surpassing Jumping Joe Kelly who held the record at 1,404 points and did it in the 1940’s. Dougie after his 19 tonight sits at 1,412 regular season points.
Dougie entered needing 11 to tie Jumping Joe Kelly, who scored 1,404 from 1942-45. Butte High’s record is 1,022 from 1966-68. The only players with more points in Butte are Lexie Nelson (1696) of Butte High and Kellie Johnson-Mead (1530) of BC.
The Maroons would lead big 54-28.
The Maroons would continue to score at will the remainder of the quarter and take a huge lead into the final quarter 60-32.
Butte Central would blow it wide open at 66-35 to begin the 4th quarter, thus giving some others a chance to show what they can do as Konnor Porchervina would get a nice lay in for 2, 68-35 BC, 5 minutes to play.
Konnor Porchervina took advantage of every minute he got on the court as he’d drive the lane on a jump step and cash in two more. Park failed to convert and turned the ball over on many occasions in the second half and just couldn’t keep pace with the red-hot Maroons.
The Maroons continue their streak and smoke Park 77-44 to make it 14 in a row!
After the game I asked coach Kelly what it’s like to coach someone like Dougie and what a player achievement like this means, “What adds to the achievement is that everyone we play adjusts their defense to defend him. He has led Class A in scoring the previous two years so everyone knows about him. He is able to score in so many ways it’s difficult to defend him. But he has also become such a great decision maker and passer you have to be careful trying to double him. His passing has made him harder to defend.”
Dougie accomplished this feat in just 65 games, while Kelly did it in 97 games. 15 games this year, 27 games as a junior, and 23 as a sophomore.
Kyle Holter and Dougie Peoples led the way for the Maroons with 19 each, Eric Loos tossed in 16, Owen, McPartland and Josh Sutton had 5 each, Jack Keeley and Konnor Porchervina both had 4, Ryan Peoples had 3, and Zane Moodry had 2 for the Maroons.
The Maroons will return to action on a three game homestand to close out the season, the first of three games will be a makeup game between Central and Corvalis Wednesday at the MAC.
