The opening tip swung The Community School's way and pretty much everything else did in a convincing 82-49 victory over Dietrich in Sun Valley Tuesday.
"We came out intense and maintained it throughout the game," coach Mike Wade said.
With excellent passing and shot selection, the Cutthroats posted their highest point total this season. It was an all-out team effort as four players -- Hunter Smith, Andrew Durtschi, Connor Wade and A.J. Beesley -- posted double figures. The closest the team has come to that was Dec. 10 against Shoshone when three players were in double digits.
"We shot the ball very well," Wade said. "What I was happiest with is our guys came out and played intensely. The got after it."
Despite Dietrich having three players generously listed as 5-10, the Cutthroats, with three starters over 6-1, enjoyed a decided height advantage and exploited it down low with 6-3 Smith and 6-2 Durtschi roaming the inside lanes for easy buckets. Both were strong on the boards, too. Durtschi finished with 15 rebounds and Smith grabbed 13.
Showing their versatility, Sun Valley flashed its run-and-gun as well as well as its muscle.
Trailing 43-19 at intermission, the Blue Devils pressed in the second half, and the Cutthroats paraded their passing skills. Kevin Wade to Connor Wade to a slicing A.J. Beesley for the layup was a common sight and it did not seem to matter who was on the court as whole squad (seven suited up for the varsity game) displayed uncanny court vision and feel for each other.
With a 20-point advantage, play did get somewhat sloppy at times. Of the Cutthroats 20 turnovers -- two more than their season average -- 10 were committed in the third quarter.
Wade reined his team in at the beginning of the fourth, and the players responded with a smooth 23-point effort. Smith had a couple of strong rebounds and putbacks and Durtschi was on the receiving end of a beautiful fingertip rebound by Beesley which he converted, and also an athletic grab and feed by Connor Wade.
The Cutthroat players showed no letup and proved Wade's claim that they had maintained their fitness over the two-week holiday break.
"They worked hard and we are doing better with every outing," Wade said.
Smith led all scorers with 24 points. Durtschi tallied 17, C. Wade 13, Beesley 11, K. Wade 8, Christian Cairncross 5, Brendan Nelson 4.
The win over Dietrich put the Cutthroats at .500 with a 3-3 overall mark and a 2-1 record in league play with games at home against Bliss on Friday and at Camas County Saturday.
"Camas will be a big test for us." Wade said.
