WOODWARD — A 25-9 eruption over the first eight minutes helped set the stage for an 80-63 victory as Woodward Academy evened the season series with WCC rival Woodward-Granger Tuesday.
Academy sophomore Ammari Johnson and W-G senior Nick Squires engaged in a running scoring battle throughout the game. Johnson had 26 points at halftime and Squires 11 as the Knights took a 38-21 lead into the intermission.
However, Squires was just getting started. The lone senior for the Hawks, he went off for 15 points in the third quarter and helped the hosts draw to within 46-39 midway through the frame.
Marcus Riley countered with a 3-pointer for the last of his 11 points in the stanza and Delonquay Richardson scored inside to slow W-G’s momentum and keep the Academy in front, 51-42, entering the final period.
Five points from Johnson and six more from Riley helped the guests open a 66-48 lead, setting the stage for the eventual 17-point win for the Knights that split the season series. An emotional W-G team, playing by a vote of the team one day after the death of junior Drew Jacobson, had topped their rivals by 18 points, winning 76-58, on Dec. 8.
Johnson finished with 34 points and Riley with 20, with Richardson adding 10 points for the Academy (4-10, 4-8). Davar Anderson, Bobby Collins and Tyray King had four points apiece, with Isaih Franklin and Brejuan Mitchell each adding two points.
W-G (2-11, 2-10) received 28 points from Squires, 10 from Derick Morgan and eight from Bodie Harrison, with Marcus McConahay providing seven points, Cameron Hoyt six and Brady Aunspach and Brody Easter two each.
W-G will return to action Friday with a visit to Van Meter.
