Quick start boosts ENMU at The Rock

CLOVIS - If nothing else, Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball coach Brent Owen wanted to see a better defensive effort from his squad in Saturday's rematch against Navajo Tech at Rock Staubus Gym.

After struggling two nights earlier to put the Skyhawks away at Greyhound Arena, ENMU got off to a much better start the second time around, building a 10-0 lead through four minutes but still having to fend off Navajo Tech late for a 70-58 victory.

"I was much more pleased with the defensive intensity," Owen said. "We still have some execution things we need to work on."

Sophomore forward Errol White and junior guard Greg Johnson scored 13 points apiece while junior guard/forward Jahcoree Ealy added 12 off the bench for the Greyhounds (3-1), who didn't have control until the final two minutes in Thursday's 80-70 victory over the Skyhawks. This time, Navajo Tech closed to within a point early in the second half but never caught up.

"I thought they got in the gaps more and limited our touches in the paint," Navajo Tech coach Robb Floco said. "They did a good job of double-teaming and, sometimes, triple-teaming our big guys."

Johnson scored the game's first two baskets, and White's backdoor layup capped the early run for the Hounds. But the lead never got bigger the rest of the half, and Skyhawks guard Brady Ramon opened the second stanza with a 3-pointer to trim the margin to 33-32.

"We weathered the storm," Floco said. "We played good enough defense to keep us around. We kind of got them on their heels a couple of times."

Leading 45-38 with 12 1/2 minutes left, freshman guard Junior Hodnett's 3-pointer kicked off a 13-2 run which stretched the margin to 16 points with 10 minutes left. Freshman guard Alex Bossinakis gave the Hounds a boost with several key plays on both sides of the ball.

"I thought Alex Bossinakis came in and gave us a really good spark," Owen said. "Ealy and Johnson were also big in that stretch."

Still, to their credit, the Skyhawks wouldn't go away. They were able to get the margin down to nine twice before baskets by senior guard Eze Dike, White and Ealy with less than five minutes to go finally made it comfortable again.

"We moved the ball better in the second half," said Johnson, who also shared team rebounding honors at six with freshman forward Jose Murillo. "I think that's what broke it open."

Junior forward Jalen Gant had 16 points for the Skyhawks after scoring 20 on Thursday, but the Hounds generally made him work a little more this time.

"We changed our approach to him and made it harder for him to get to his spots," Owen said.

Ramon finished with four 3-pointers and 13 points for Navajo Tech, while guard Rich Serrano added 10 points.

ENMU was still playing without starting point guard Dwayne Chester III, senior guard Grehlon Easter and 6-foot-9 sophomore center Malique Oates, all out with relatively minor injuries.

"I'd like to see our whole team playing together one time," Owen said. "I like our toughness and our unselfishness, but we haven't been on the floor together yet.

"We've got a whole lot of growing to do."

ENMU hosts Northern New Mexico tonight and University of the Southwest on Saturday before jumping into the 22-game Lone Star Conference slate on Dec. 1 at St. Edward's.

"We've got to watch some film and fix the mistakes we've had," Johnson said. "I feel if we can get our whole team back and get some reps, the sky's the limit for us."