Boys basketball: Trinity's threes rain down on Odessa High

James Johnson expected some hiccups.

Coaching a young team that is learning a new offense, Johnson knew the Odessa High basketball team wasn’t going to put everything together right out of the gate.

Now, the Bronchos have a few things to work on after Lubbock Trinity outran Odessa High 96-56 in the season-opener Tuesday night.

“We know where we have to start,” Johnson said. “Lubbock Trinity is the type of team that will make you look bad, and they exposed every youthful mistake that we made.”

Odessa High (0-1) only has one returning member of the team that took the court last year.

And Dalen Brooks had no trouble creating points in the first quarter. Led by Brooks, the Bronchos headed into the break at the end of the first quarter trailing 20-15.

Brooks, who scored 10 points in the first quarter alone, drilled a 3-pointer with a minute left in the quarter to pull the Bronchos within one, but Lubbock Trinity responded with a pair of layups on the fast break by Parker Wentz and Matthew Stevenson.

 “We pretty much had our minds set on coming out and crashing the boards,” Bronchos forward Joed Amoyaw said. “In the second half, we focused more on getting back and playing help defense.”

But by the time Odessa High adjusted to the Lions’ fast-paced attack, the damage had already been done.

Lubbock Trinity outscored the Bronchos 31-13 in the second quarter to take a 51-28 halftime lead. Led by Wentz, who made four 3-pointers in the second quarter and finished with a team-high 26 points, the Lions put plenty of pressure on the Odessa High defense.

“Seemed like every other time they were getting loose on us in the first half,” Johnson said. “But that’s just youth, not knowing we have to get back in transition.”

Trotting out a new offensive system — Johnson has installed the dribble-drive motion offense made popular by Memphis — seems to fit the Bronchos.

Especially Brooks.

Consistently able to get into the paint and draw fouls, Brooks scored a game-high 29 points.

No other Broncho finished in double-digits. Jakari Allen added nine points for Odessa High.

“We had some good runs,” Brooks said. “This offense gives us a lot more space and gives us a chance to go one-on-one, then dish to shoot the three.”

Now, the Bronchos’ less-experienced players have to learn when to pull up and shoot rather than plow into a well-coached team. Lubbock Trinity drew six charges.

“All night long, we could go around them,” Johnson said. “But in the second half — maybe we got tired — we stopped taking it straight at them. And we’ve got to be smart enough to stop and pop.”

Luckily for Odessa High, the season is young.

Plenty of time left to learn.