The Hermann Bearcats' plan was to give California senior Drew Norton some space.
He took advantage.
Norton scored 13 points in the first 10 minutes, helping the Pintos get off to a quick lead and hang on for a 61-44 victory Saturday in the Missouri National Guard Shootout at Fleming Fieldhouse in Jefferson City.
Hermann scored the first six points of the game, but the Pintos answered with an 18-2 run, during which Norton hit two 3-pointers, one 2-pointer and found fellow senior Jaden Barr for an assist.
"That's kind of Drew's breakout game," California coach Blair Scanlon said. "Drew can do that stuff. He's a versatile player. He's athletic. He's quick off his feet, and he can step out and shoot a little bit.
"Now, he hasn't been hitting (3s) this year, but that right there just threw them completely off, because they had a game plan to sink off, plug the lane, and then once he did that, it was over. That was the dagger."
Norton didn't miss a shot in the first half, sinking three 3s, four 2s and a free throw. He finished the game with 22 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
"It threw a wrinkle in their plan," Scanlon said.
Saturday's win was a nice change of pace for the Pintos, who had lost to Hermann in the previous two Shootouts. But Scanlon said his team, which boasts nine seniors, wasn't worried about revenge.
"It's not about that," he said. "It's about this team and this year and our seniors. We're 7-0 right now, and it was just about another team in our way and us executing and doing the right things to get a victory. I don't care who it is. Hermann, whoever else, Blair Oaks, it doesn't matter, but we just want to concentrate on California basketball, do what we have to do and get wins."
California led by eight after one quarter, 12 at the half and 16 after three quarters.
"We ran in transition," Scanlon said. "We got points off turnovers. They struggled handling the basketball. We got some key steals and tips and deflections and ran and filled the lanes, and that's called playing basketball. It's simple. When we run, we're pretty good. But I told them they need to be more uptempo like that, and they did. We had a good run there, a good stretch and we stretched the lead out to 15 or 16 points, and that was it."
Jaden Barr scored a game-high 26 points and received most valuable player honors.
"Jaden's Jaden," Scanlon said. "Every night he's going to play hard, give it all he's got."
California now gets a chance to rest for Christmas break. Many of the Pintos play football as well and have been tied up in a sport since August.
"Now we get a break and our guys can relax a little bit," Scanlon said. "(We have) a lot of two-sport athletes, and now they can enjoy the next five, six days and just get some family time."
The win was the Pintos' fourth this week.
"That's tough to do, especially against a team like them who grinds you out half-court," Scanlon said. "Fourth game in five days? We'll take it."
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