Malden plays 'own style of basketball' to take down Campbell

Malden's Marcus Burton attempts a layup against Malden Friday night. Burton led the Green Wave with 28 points.

Christian Johnson/Delta Dunklin Democrat

The Malden boys basketball team is on a three-game winning streak as they've set off to play their “own style of basketball” with intensity under second year head coach Mike Kilgore. Friday night, the Green Wave defeated Campbell on the road 79-55.

“Our biggest thing here is that we're starting to play hard,” Malden head coach Mike Kilgore said. “When we play hard and start to mix the fundamentals side of it in, that gives us a chance to be competitive every night. Playing it the right way is only going to make us better toward the end of the season. We just have to step on the court and play our own style of basketball.”

Malden secured a narrow three-point lead closing out the first quarter, but things picked up in tempo and intensity in the second. Malden's Marcus Burton led the team to start by picking up a steal and dunk. After two free throws by Campbell's Ben Rowland, Burton hit two more layups and sank a free throw.

Quamareous Farmer put in a 3-point shot to strengthen the Green Wave's lead before Campbell went on a six-point run. Pressuring Campbell's offense and forcing turnovers, Malden put up 27 points in the second quarter while holding Campbell to 13.

“We try to bring the intensity as soon as we go out on the court,” Kilgore said. “The first group came in and did a good job, the second group probably sat a little too long and struggled to get into the flow. But once we got to clicking, both groups 1-10 everybody just played hard.”

After halftime, the Camels struggled even more to find a footing offensively. They added just six points to their score with two free throws apiece by Sam Bunting and Ben Rowland, and one 2-point shot by Cole Townsend.

Campbell's Sam Bunting (5) attempts a shot around Malden defenders Friday night.

Christian Johnson/Delta Dunklin Democrat

Meanwhile, Malden's Burton struck with three layups, assisted by a 3-point play and a layup by Payton Woodard to take a 57-33 lead going into the fourth quarter.

“We really don't want to slow it down at all,” Kilgore said. “We want to push as much as we can, and that has to do with conditioning. The better shape we get in, and the better we get with the fundamentals, that's going to give us an opportunity to play the style of game we want to play.”

Campbell's Townsend put the first points of the fourth quarter on the board with a 2-point field goal, which was followed up by two 3-point jump shots by Malden's Farmer. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Green Wave and Camels begun exchanging points charging down the court to close out the game.

“We went through several phases where everything was intense on both teams,” Kilgore said. “Going forward we have to do a better job of making sure we commit to help side defense. Right now we're leaving too many guys out by themselves and we've got to play more help on the defensive end of the ball.”

Malden's lead was too much to overcome with just minutes left, and with two last minute dunks by Burton and a 3-point play by Trey Miller, Malden won 79-55.

Campbell was led by Ben Rowland and Cole Townsend, who both scored 12 points. Jackson Anthony contributed 11, and Sam Bunting scored nine.

At the end of the night Malden was led by Burton, who put up a total of 28 points. Trey Miller added 13, and both Payton Woodard and Quamareous Farmer contributed nine.

“It was a good team effort,” Kilgore said. “Everybody played well.”