Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
It’s easy to forget that DeMatha point guard Quinn Cook is just a sophomore.
It’s because when it comes to playing rival Gonzaga in front of a sold out crowd, or even O’Connell on national television as he did on Tuesday, Cook treats it as just another game.
Cook stole the show again Friday night, scoring 25 points to lead DeMatha to a 68-65 win over Gonzaga in Hyattsville. It’s the second straight game in which he has notched 25 points.
The win puts DeMatha (24-3, 15-2) in first place in the WCAC with just one game remaining in the regular season and avenges a Stags loss to the Eagles from earlier this season.
Perhaps more importantly heading into the playoffs, this week has established Cook as another DeMatha scorer opponents must game plan for.
“He’s been in a lot of big games and you can see what he can do when he kind of gets it going,†DeMatha coach Mike Jones said. “When we get to the playoffs, you really won’t be able how to play him. Is he creating for others or scoring himself?â€
Cook sunk two three-pointers in the first quarter and that was just the start of his hot shooting. He said he missed just four shots on the night.
“After I hit the second three, I knew it was going to be a good night,†Cook said.
Cook broke out in the second quarter, scoring nine straight points for the Stags to keep pace with Gonzaga, who was led by 25 points from Ian Hummer, 18 by Cedrick Lindsay and 15 from Malcolm Lemmons.
He opened up the second half with another three-pointer, giving the Stags a seven-point lead. Then he knocked down his final of four three-pointers to start the fourth quarter and give DeMatha a 12-point advantage.
“When you start to hit a couple shots, you kind of want the ball, but you don’t want to go overboard,†Cook said. “My teammates understand everybody has their night and I guess tonight was my night.â€
The Stags still maintained a 12-point lead with about three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game before Gonzaga (24-4, 15-3) started making a run.
The Eagles scored 12 of the games next 14 points, highlighted by a Lindsay and-one on a three-pointer and three nice layups by Hummer down low – to pull to within two points down with about two minutes remaining.
Cahli Thomas drained a three-pointer that brought Gonzaga to just one point behind with 1:07 remaining. With 22.7 left, the Eagles forced a jump ball but the arrow was in DeMatha’s favor.
The two teams traded buckets within a couple seconds of each other, with Marcus Rouse breaking free for a layup to put the Stags up 66-63 and Tyler Thornton sprinting the length of the court to bring the Eagles back to one down with 13.2 remaining.
Gonzaga was forced to foul and sent Naji Hibbert to the line. Hibbert made both free throws and Thornton’s deep three-point attempt that would have tied the game bounced off the rim.
“I was kind of scared,†Cook said. “Tyler’s shot, it should have gone in.â€
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