Lewis-Clark State Warriors

MEN: Monroe, Warriors handle Northwest Christian

Posted on 03 November 2009 by Ryan Collingwood

Junior College transfer pours in 27 as Warriors roll in home opener

Lewis-Clark State guard Markus Monroe hasn’t been a stranger to manufacturing shots during the course of his decorated basketball career.

But Monroe, who averaged a 22.2 points a contest at Glendale Community College, made sure it carried over to the next level.

So far, so good.

Monroe put up a game-high 27 points to fuel L-C past Northwest Christian 81-56 in a lopsided home opener Monday night at the Activity Center.

“We are not about losing at home, so this was a good start,” Monroe said. “Being our first home game everybody had a lot of energy, so that fueled us to win.”

In the early stages against the Eugene, Ore., school, however, scoring was at a premium.

When Greg Shephard scored on the block to give L-C a narrow 10-5 advantage with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the Beacons’ structured sets seemingly controlled the tempo.

It didn’t last long, though.

A 9-0 run sparked by junior guard Jared Giammona’s 3-pointer from the right wing put L-C’s offense in gear as the Warriors’ athletic motion offense began to take shape.

Shortly after an NC timeout, Derek Gianukakis connected on two 3-pointers and L-C never looked back.

“Our big men gave us some good screens,” Monroe said. “They had a lot to do with us getting those shots.”

Alex King, who recorded a block on a dunk attempt in what perhaps was the most athletic play of the game, would score just before the horn sounded to give the Warriors a comfortable 41-19 lead at the half.

“We had some guys step up and hit some shots for us,” L-C coach Tim Walker said. “That really gave us some balance.”

Monroe opened the half with a bomb from the top of the key, but Monroe’s backcourt counterpart Daniel Williams was especially efficient in the second half.

Williams, who had a career-high 15 points to go with six points and six assists, hit consecutive field goals to give his team a 60-38 lead.

From there Northwest Christian, which shot just 29.2 percent from the field, was in catch-up mode trying to convert from the perimeter. The Cascade Collegiate Conference affiliate was just 8-for-28 in that pursuit.

“I thought our defense set a tone from the start,” said Walker, whose squad forced 21 turnovers. “They missed some shots, but I think our defense had a lot to do with that.”

The Warriors shot 84 percent from the free-throw line (21-of-25). Monroe accounted for almost half of the total, going 11-for-12.

“Markus can score,” Walker said. “He’s so athletic and shifty and gets to the free-throw line a bunch.”

Gianukakis finished with 11 points for L-C (2-0) and Erik Quick-Warner led Northwest Christian with 12.

The Warriors travel to NCAA Division I Montana on Friday in an exhibition.

NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN
Cameron Marshall 2-6 3-6 9, Michael Van Loon 3-11 1-2 7, Ben Voogd 3-8, 1-4, 7, Erik Quick-Warner 4-8 1-2 12, Andrew Miller 1-2 2-4 4, Quenton Guidry 0-8, 0-0 0, David Berney 2-4 0-0 5, Jordan Haxby 0-0 2-2 2, Jordan Buhler 1-1 0-0 2, Chase Schlacter 0-0 1-2 1, Kellen Spicer 2-3 2-3 5, Brent McKee 1-3 0-0 2, David Vermilyea 0-0 0-0 0

LEWIS-CLARK STATE (2-0)
Tanner McIntosh 2-5 0-0 4, James Craft 2-5 0-0 4, Terrell Wallace 0-3 2-2 2, Daniel Williams 5-9 5-6 15, Markus Monroe 7-17 11-12 27, Jared Giammona 2-2 0-0 6, Derek Gianukakis 3-6 3-4 11, Shad Sterath 0-1 0-0 0, Alex King 2-2 0-0 4, Greg Shepard 4-5 0-0 8

Halftime �LCSC 38 NWC 19: Three-points goals � NWC 8-28 (Quick Warner 3-6, Cameron 2-4, Berney 1-2, Spicer 1-1, Voogd 1-4, Guidry 0-3, McKee 0-2, Van Loon 0-6) LCSC 6-15 (Monroe 2-6, Giammona 2-2, Gianukakis 2-4, Williams 0-2, Shepard 0-1) Rebounds � NWC 32 ( Marshall 6 ) LCSC 40 (Williams, Gianukakis 6) Assists � NWC 13 (Voogd 4) LCSC 17 (Williams 6) Total fouls � NWC 20, LCSC 21; Fouled out � NWC (none) LCSC (Craft 5) Technical Fouls (none): Attendance: 217