ROLLA, Mo. — Salem, Mo., coach Nic Zenker heard nothing but good things about Rogers High’s matchup zone.
Zenker and the Tigers saw first hand just how good the Mounties’ defense is Monday night.
Rogers forced 25 turnovers and junior Graham Parker scored 18 points as Rogers defeated Salem 55-35 in a first-round game at the 2009 U.S. Bank/Rolla High School Holiday Invitational. Rogers (10-1) will face Warrensburg, Mo., in the semifinals tonight. Warrensburg (5-2) defeated Waynesville 64-51 Monday.
Salem turned the ball over nine times in the first eight minutes and had 15 at halftime as Rogers built a 29-11 lead.
Salem (1-6) is a Class 4A school with just two seniors and Zenker said facing Rogers was a tall order for a young, inexperienced team.
“We have been struggling with that (turnovers) all year,” Zenker said. “You can’t simulate the defense they play in practice. Rogers did a great job of forcing turnovers. When we came out, I don’t think our kids believed they could play with Rogers. We knew they were in the state championship last year.”
Parker hit 7-of-12 shots, and his two 3-pointers in the third period helped offset five 3-pointers by the Tigers. Salem cut the Rogers lead to 35-25 on Phil Moser’s fifth 3-pointer of the game, but the Mounties took a 44-30 lead to the fourth period after scoring on five straight possessions.
Tanner Kaza added 13 points for the Mounties while sophomore Nathan Musso had 10. Leading scorer Josh Anderson got in early foul trouble and finished with two points.
“Parker is getting his timing down and has his basketball legs,” Rogers coach Marty Barnes said. “We have a variety of people that score. We forced some turnovers and you can’t complain about the margin of victory.”
Barnes, however, was disappointed in the Mounties’ effort in the first few minutes after halftime. Salem hit four 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the third period.
“We came out and we were mellow,” Barnes said.
Rogers forced nine turnovers in the first period and the Mounties took a 14-4 lead at the first break after Parker scored four points the final 55 seconds. The Mounties scored 10 of their first 14 points off Salem turnovers.
Kaza then opened the second period with back-to-back baskets for a 18-6 Rogers lead. Musso then scored layups around a Parker layup midway through the second period for a 24-8 lead. Rogers led 29-11 at halftime after Wyatt Hively scored three points the final minute of the second period.
Parker scored eight points in the third as Rogers took a 14-point lead to the final period and the Mounties scored the first five points of the fourth to pull away.