Savanna applies pressure on Katella

ANAHEIM – Savanna boys basketball coach Scott Wilbur said pressure was a key theme coming into his team's critical Orange League game Friday night against Katella.

With both teams tied atop the league standings with 3-0 records, Savanna provided the pressure offensively and defensively while not succumbing to it in the Rebels' 55-42 victory over Katella at Savanna High.

"The pressure (defense) is what we are known for and what we are good at," Wilbur said. "We did a good job of it tonight, and it created a lot of extra opportunities."

Make that 20 of them, to be exact.

And Savanna (14-5, 4-0) was able to turn those 20 Katella turnovers into 14 points on the other end.

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Katella (9-12, 3-1) scored the game's first two points, but that was the only time Savanna trailed.

Wilbur said he wanted his defense to focus on containing Katella forward T.J. Ashmeade, and his players did just that. Savanna held Ashmeade to just four points, and he fouled out midway through the fourth quarter.

"We wanted to make sure we matched up with Ashmeade," he said. "He's a really good athlete, and we wanted to keep him off the glass."

Like most coaches, Wilbur said it's important for defense to lead to offense, and for Savanna, it's especially important because of how effective the team is in transition.

"We really wanted to set the tone defensively, and that leads to our offense," he said. "We like to get out and run the break. We get a lot of easy points that way."

Keith Davis was the most effective Rebel, scoring a game-high 19 points.

Teammate DaShawn Henderson finished with 12 points.

Junior Ajawara led Katella with 14 points, and Ismael Galvaz finished with 13, including three 3-pointers.