Run It Red celebrates after beating Dutty Dawgs 65-62 to win the Hoops Xplosion Tournament Jr. division title: click here to read more about it

Run It Red tame Dutty Dawgs for Hoops Xplosion Tournament title

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

Marlon ‘Spier’ Meyers had a 19 point16 rebound 15 block triple double, to lead Run It Red to a thrilling 65-62 victory over defending champions Dutty Dawgs to win the Summer Hoops Xplosion Tournament B division title. Dellon Mills led Dutty Dawgs with a game high 28 points and 12 boards to go with six steals and four blocks.

Run It Red led 46-32 with two minutes left in the third quarter, when coach Shawn Morris replaced his starting five with bickering bench players. The bold move surprised Dutty Dawgs’ coach Morris Wattley.

“His starting five were definitely outplaying my starting five and when he did that, I started to put on the Dutty Dawgs and got the game down to one point,” Wattley said as his team overcame a 14 point deficit and pulled within 51-50 before losing 65-62. “That was the turning point for me in the game. Even though I didn’t win, he gave me a better chance than I had.”
Morris said his bench players were arguing about game time and he decided to prove a point by putting them in the game. “I put them in to feel the kind of pressure the five on the court were getting,” Morris explained. “When they felt the pressure, they started to buckle. But, this was our year to win the championship after getting here and lapsing last year.”

After an overtime series opening win, Wattley said his team made many turnovers. “No excuse for the guys, they were outplayed and Run It Red wanted it more.”