Alder’s Jackson Izzard goes to the hoop for two of his 25 points against London on Tuesday. The Pioneers rolled to a 58-32 triumph. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
Jonathan Alder’s boys basketball team turned up the heat in a couple of places Tuesday evening when it hosted Madison County rival London.
The Pioneers elevated their defense and senior Jackson Izzard got red-hot from the field in the second half during their season-opening contest.
Those factors turned an ordinary first half into a 58-32 rout over the Red Raiders.
“We’re known for our defensive ability,” said JA coach Zach Ross. “We gave up only 10 second-half points against a team like London.”
Izzard also tallied 17 of his game-high 25 markers after the halftime break.
“Jackson turned it up during the third quarter,” said Ross.
Izzard scored 13 during the third set as the Pioneers pulled away from their 23-22 halftime lead.
Jonathan Alder got off to an expected rough start during the opening quarter.
Not only was it JA’s first game of a COVID-19 scrambled season, but the team was only able to compete in what Ross equated to 1 ½ preseason scrimmages.
The Red Raiders slapped a 1-3-1 zone on the Pioneers in an effort to keep 6-9 Gavin Heimlich and 6-5 Joey Walker from penetrating the lane for Alder.
With that accomplished, Jonathan Alder had to resort to its perimeter game.
A number of shots, however, failed to find the mark.
Izzard finally broke the ice with a trifecta from the corner that gave Alder a bit of breathing room with a 9-6 edge.
Tabor Headings was able to split London’s zone for a jumper that expanded JA’s margin to 11-6.
Zach Jones buried a three pointer for the Raiders to slice the spread to 11-9.
He later scored on a spin move to the lane.
That basket pulled London to within 12-11 at the end of the opening quarter.
Isaiah Jones’ reverse layup along the baseline gave the Red Raiders a 13-12 edge early in the ensuing stanza.
Zach Jones notched points on consecutive possessions as London pulled out to a 17-12 advantage.
JA called timeout to discuss the situation.
Once action resumed, the Pioneers tallied five quick points, tying the battle at 17-all on Grant Welsch’s transition bucket.
Welsch later scored on a stickback to knot the score at 19.
London’s final lead of the night came when Zach Jones’ three-ball pushed the visitors out to a 22-21 edge.
There were several exchanges of the ball over the last couple of minutes in the half.
London came up with several empty possessions as the Pioneers kept turning up the dial on their defense.
Izzard was fouled in transition after picking up the ball on a Red Raider turnover.
He sank both charity tosses to send Alder into the turn with its 23-22 lead.
London kept up the battle early in the third period.
Brady Carter’s trey tied the game at 25-25.
At that point, Izzard took over.
He buried back-to-back trifectas and scored twice on offensive rebounds.
As a result, the Pioneers (who will play at Tecumseh on Friday) climbed to a 35-29 lead with a little more than three minutes left to play in the third quarter.
Headings tallied a pair of points along the baseline, while Peyton Heiss’ trifecta elevated JA’s advantage to 40-29.
Izzard then cashed in on a trio of free throws, sending Alder into the fourth quarter with a comfortable 43-29 lead.
Jonathan Alder’s defensive pressure continued to stifle any Red Raider offensive hopes.
“We stressed at halftime that we had to play harder on defense,” said Ross. “We just told the guys to be the best version of themselves.
“They didn’t have to do any more than that.”
London didn’t get back on the scoreboard until very late in the game.
Isaiah Jones swished the net on a three-pointer for the Raiders’ only points of the quarter.
By that time, JA held a commanding 57-32 margin.
Heiss then added a free throw for Alder’s final margin of victory.
Jonathan Alder
Izzard 6-10-25, Walker 3-5-11, Welsch 3-0-6, Headings 3-0-6, Heiss 1-2-5, Begin 1-0-2, Reidel 0-2-2, Keith 0-1-1, Wilson 0-0-0, Brandel 0-0-0, Heimlich 0-0-0. Totals 17-20-58.
Three-point goals: Izzard 3, Heiss 1.
London
Z. Jones 6-0-14, I. Jones 3-0-8, Minner 3-0-6, Carter 1-0-3, Duvall 0-1-1, White 0-0-0, Dodson 0-0-0, Schooley 0-0-0. Totals 13-1-32.
Three-point goals: Z. Jones 2, J. Jones 2, Carter 1.