Rogers eyes CL title trophy for another year

Kenyatta Bowen, of the Waite Indians, looks for a pass during the third period of their game against the Rogers Rams at Rogers.

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Kenyatta Bowen, of the Waite Indians, looks for a pass during the third period of their game against the Rogers Rams at Rogers.

People with cameras on their cell phones could barely wait for the final seconds to tick off the game clock of Friday night's contest between Rogers and Waite before taking snapshots of the scoreboards in the Rams gymnasium.

There for all to see: Home 110. Visitors 44.

Defending City League champion Rogers routed Waite in a City League opener that spoke volumes about the Rams' overall talent and depth a year after winning its first CL title in school history.

Tony Kynard pumped in a game-high 18 points, including three 3-pointers, and was one of four Rams (1-1, 1-0 CL) to produce double-figures scoring against the overmatched Indians (0-3, 0-1).

Tribune Dailey, Jr., scored 17 points, including three crowd-pleasing slam dunks in a game the Rams stormed out to a commanding 63-26 halftime lead. DeVonte Pratt poured in 16 points and Clemmye Owens added 11.

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All 12 Rams players scored at least four points; Rogers converted plenty of baskets off Waite turnovers.

The Indians were guilty of 14 turnovers in the first half when the Rams came through to score 31 points in the opening quarter before coming right back to tally 32 in the second quarter.

"We're an even deeper team than we were last year," Rogers coach Earl Morris said.

Waite's Taywyn Mason paced the Indians with a team-high 15 points and Kareem Roberts added 10. Alfred Sanchez finished with nine.

Even with the Rams starters watching much of the second half on the bench, Rogers was still able to outscore Waite 47-18 during the final two quarters.

Despite building a sizable lead, the Rams maintained a relentlessness that spoke plenty about the team's mind-set heading into their first step toward maintaining the league champion status for another year.

"We knew we were going to win, but we were still going to come out and play hard," Dailey said.

Dailey, a 6-foot-4 senior, stirred up the loudest applause from a crowd of approximately 450 in the steamy gym with his rim-rattling dunks.

However, he drew the loudest cheers when he raced toward the basket on a Rams fastbreak and caught a half-court pass from Kynard while in mid-air for a two-hand alley-oop dunk that made it 26-5 with 2:04 left in the first quarter.

"I looked at Tony and he saw me and I just went up for it," Dailey said, of his alley-oop score.

The Rams really didn't waste much time putting up shots with each possession.

They pushed the tempo and took advantage of their overall speed and size.

Dailey grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and Pratt added six.

Kynard led Rogers with seven assists while Kevon Davis accounted for five and Owens four in a game the Rams made 46 baskets, including seven 3-pointers.

"I feel like we ran good and played good basketball," Pratt said.

It wasn't hard to not consider it a good showing for the Rams in their first league game of the season.

"You really don't say much," said Morris, regarding what was discussed inside the Rams locker room at halftime with a 37-point lead.

Rogers came out at halftime and went on a 21-1 run during the third quarter and led 84-27 before closing out the period with a 91-32 advantage.

And the ending was captured for many in a snapshot.

Contact Donald Emmons at:

demmons@theblade.com,

419-724-6302 or on

Twitter @DemmonsBlade.

Rogers' Kevon tries in vain to gain control the ball during the third quarter of the Rams' game against the Waite Indians at Rogers High School. Rogers won 110-44.

SPT rogersbhoops07p -- Tribune Dailey Jr., of the Rogers Rams, tries to gain control the ball during the third period of their game against the Waite Indians at Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohio, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2012.