Des Moines Roosevelt boys basketball's bench scores 46 in double-digit victory over Hoover
Des Moines Roosevelt junior forward Kuaye Noah checked into the game with under five minutes remaining in Friday’s boys basketball matchup between the Roughriders and Des Moines Hoover.
It took less than a minute for him to tap the ball out of a Hoover player’s hands, collect the steal and finish the series off with a dunk.
Shortly after, his teammate Kuany Kuany entered the game. On his first possession, he hit a 3-pointer from the top right corner of the arc. Roosevelt’s bench leaped upward in celebration, yelling and clapping in support of their teammate.
Noah and Kuany weren’t the only players who contributed off the bench in the Roughriders’ 83-34 rout of the Huskies (1-6). Eighteen Roosevelt players made it onto the court in the victory; 16 of those athletes registered at least one point.
Roosevelt’s bench became the star of the show Friday. They scored a combined 46 points — more than the total of the Roughriders’ starting five and more than the 10 Hoover players who combined for just over 30 points.
“I’m not sure (that) we’re the best team in the state, but we might be the deepest team,” Roosevelt head coach Joe Katich said. “When we brought in our third group, and they’re making threes, I don’t know if anybody’s got a third group that’s got this kind of ability.
“These kids do so much, and they pull for each other. It was nice to see everybody cheering for each other and having a great time. That’s probably the most enjoyable part of the night, that everybody played.”
Sure, Katich’s bench stepped up and impressed in the win. But a trio of starters made their mark, as well.
Tyron Wright was one of the top rebounders in the state last season when as a junior at Des Moines East. Now at Roosevelt, Wright leads the Roughriders with over seven rebounds per game, and he’s a contributor on the scoreboard as well. He scored the opening points of the game Friday and finished with seven total points, despite sitting most of the second half.
“He’s a great kid, and he’s got a great passion,” Katich said. “He’s got a lot of energy that he brings to the floor and he’s one of the leading rebounders, so he brings a lot of physicality and energy to our team.”
Wright is a 6-foot-5 senior center. But Roosevelt’s leading scorer against Hoover was 6-3 freshman guard Charlie King. He scored 15 points – a game-high – in the victory. King played a fast and physical game that was difficult for Hoover players to keep up with, and he was fearless in the paint.
“For a freshman to come in and feel like he’s comfortable to do that,” Katich said. “The kids have accepted him really well; they love working with him. He’s played like a veteran player already.”
Rounding out the trifecta was Brayden Page. He was kept off the scoreboard in the first half but accumulated nine points off three 3-pointers early in the third quarter.
Roosevelt won its last four games, including a one-point victory over Waukee before the winter break. The Roughriders schedule won’t get any easier over the next two months, but their 7-2 start to the season placed Roosevelt in a good position.
“You want to be playing well in January and February,” Katich said. “In December, we had a couple games where we didn’t play to our potential, but credit to the other teams. We learned from them. That’s the key.”
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines Roosevelt boys basketball rolls past Hoover
