WYANDOTTE -- Riverview Coach Steve Hawley knew the key to winning Tuesday's non-conference matchup against Wyandotte Roosevelt was containing the Pirates' super duo of Keith Pyle and Chuck Hutson.
Easier said than done.
Hutson and Pyle combined for more points (38) than the entire Riverview team, and the Wyandotte steamrolled the Pirates, 57-34, Tuesday night.
''The team really runs through Keith (Pyle) and he just runs the show with the ball,'' Hawley said. ''We probably made it look like we had never seen those guys before. I know both of them went off on us tonight and had great games. It was tough out there.''
Hutson and Pyle scored 19 points each as the Bears improved to 13-1 overall. Riverview, ranked No. 10 in Class B by the Associated Press, saw its 10-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 13-2.
''We are playing really well right now,'' Hutson said. ''Keith and I make a mighty good team when we are playing like we are right now.''
Wyandotte's 1-3-1 matchup zone defense was the real culprit as it caused headaches for Hawley's Pirates. Wyandotte forced seven first-quarter turnovers out of the zone and allowed only five points in the opening quarter. Riverview shot only 2 of 6 from the field in the first quarter and trailed, 14-5, after the period.
''If we play the zone right and get out and deny shooters and take away passing lanes, our zone defense can be very effective. You know what they say, 'defense wins championships' and that is our focus everyday in practice,'' Wyandotte Coach Dave Cramton said. ''The key to the game was getting off to the fast start and forcing them out of their tempo. We wanted to force our tempo and I thought we did that tonight.''
Cramton's job was made significantly easier in the early going, thanks to the play of his floor general, Pyle.
Pyle was unstoppable in the first half. The six-foot point guard scored 15 points in the first two quarter, most off transition layups following Riverview turnovers. Pyle shot 7 of 10 from the floor in the half and really controlled the game for the Bears.
While Pyle got it done in the first half, Hutson was equally impressive in the second half, when he scored 12 of his 19 points. The 6-foot-4 forward scored from both the paint and the perimeter and Riverview was helpless to stop him.
''They know what each other can do for the other one and that inside-outside duo is very tough for teams to stop. They are a great one-two punch and I would take those two over any other duo in the state,'' Cramton said. ''Keith and Chuck have always been outstanding players, but they really forged a close bond this year and they are playing great.''
Despite its slow start, Riverview cut Wyandotte's lead to 24-16 at halftime. The Pirates used a 7-0 run to finish the second quarter.
However, Wyandotte widened the gap with a 12-5 run in the early stages of the third quarter. Wyandotte led, 41-27, after the third quarter.
The Bears outscored Riverview, 16-7, in the fourth quarter to push the final margin into the 20's. Wyandotte outscored Riverview in every quarter and never trailed.
Wyandotte already is guaranteed at least a share of the Blue Division title in the Mega Conference, but it can win the title outright with a win at Garden City on Friday.
''I'm from Garden City and I graduated from Garden City West so there is a lot of home town roots there,'' Cramton said. ''It would be pretty special to win the division title over there.''
Tim Twentyman is a free-lance writer.
