Choctaw takes down FWB, 73-55 (SLIDESHOW, VIDEO)

FORT WALTON BEACH – Like any coach, Choctawhatchee boys’ basketball coach Andy Thigpen likes to play to his team’s strengths.

Friday night’s match-up with district foe and arch-rival Fort Walton Beach was an exhibition as to what those strengths are, as the host Indians routed the Vikings 73-55 in front of a near-capacity crowd.

View a slideshow from the game »

The Indians (12-5, 3-1 District 2-6A) wasted no time in jumping out to a quick 11-2 lead in the games opening minutes. Jamal Bias (10 points) and Mikal Rodgers (nine points) helped lead the way for Choctaw early. Rodgers notched four quick points and Bias hit a three that led to a Viking timeout with 4:40 to go in the first quarter.

But Fort Walton Beach (6-10, 0-3) slowed the pace and brought the score to 17-11 at the end of the first.

The teams battled in the second quarter, going back and forth, but the Indians went to locker room at half with a 33-23 advantage.

Just like the start of the first half, the Indians exploded out of the gate in the third quarter.

“A win over Fort Walton is always good,” Thigpen said. “The kids played hard. We had a big third quarter and the kids came out very aggressive, I give all the credit to our players.”

Jonathan Brassell came alive in the third quarter, scoring eight of his 14 points and Bryan Baker stepped up defensively for the Indians as well to help them push the lead to 55-33 at the end of the third.

“Jonathan is always going to be solid,” Thigpen noted. “He’s a shooter, but he enjoys playing defense and he lives for the big game. He’s one of our leaders and he really got us going.”

Fort Walton Beach’s Rece Coward hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, but it was too late as the Choctaw bench was too strong and too deep to allow its lead to slip.

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