HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: Muldoon's 29 keeps Basehor-Linwood perfect in 65-62 win against Piper

By NICK SLOAN
nick@kansascitykansan.com

BASEHOR, KAN. ---- For most of the season, the 14-0 Basehor-Linwood Bobcats boys basketball team has not needed luck, with the team's margin of victory averaging around 20 points.

But following his team's 65-62 victory against Piper on Tuesday, Basehor-Linwood Bobcats head coach Mike McBride said his team was "lucky" to finish the regular season sweep against the Piper Pirates.

Early, it appeared the Bobcats were going to cruise to a victory.

Basehor-Linwood scored the game's first 14 points and held Piper scoreless until the 3:40 mark of the first quarter. The Bobcats were up 20-9 after an alley oop from Jahron McPherson to Pat Muldoon to close out the first quarter. Muldoon scored 8 points in the quarter.

The second quarter was a completely different story.

Piper went on a 14-5 run to cut the lead down to two points at 25-23. After Piper edged to within two points, Basehor-Linwood responded with an 8-0 run to end the first half.

The Pirates responded once again, going on a 16-5 run to take their first lead of the game, 39-38, during the third quarter.

"We stopped playing Bobcats basketball," McBride said of that stretch in the second quarter and in the third quarter. "We didn't want to pass the ball. We didn't want to set screens. We were doing beginning of the year stuff."

However, after falling behind, Basehor-Linwood's leader stepped up to the plate.

Finishing with 29 points, Bobcats forward Pat Muldoon scored 16 of the team's final 29 points to help the Bobcats survive against their rivals from Western Wyandotte County. He scored nine points during a quick 11-2 run to help Basehor-Linwood build the lead back to seven points.

"He put us on his back in the second half," McBride said. "He was the one guy still playing to win."

Basehor-Linwood led the entire fourth quarter. The closest Piper came was three points.

Still, despite the win over a consensus Top 10 4A team from Piper, McBride expressed frustration at his team.

"We have gotten far away from (what works,)" he said. "We spent the last two games not getting better. We have to start getting better. We were lucky to win tonight."