Boys Basketball: Bloom trounces Kankakee

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Updated: March 2, 2012 8:12AM

No. 6 Bloom blitzed host Kankakee 77-27 Tuesday night in the Southland Athletic Conference.

The key to the game was Bloom 6-foot-4 junior Johnny Griffin’s defense against Alvin Braddock, Kankakee’s 6-5 senior who is an All-State candidate.

“I was looking forward to it,’’ Griffin said. “He is their best player. I held him under his average and kept him off the boards.’’

Braddock came in averaging 18.5 points and 14.7 rebounds for the Kays (5-15, 0-6). He finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Braddock was held to six points before Griffin sat down for the rest of the game with 2:24 remaining in the third quarter and Bloom (18-3, 5-1) ahead 60-15.

“(Griffin) has the quickness to guard anyone,’’ Bloom coach Jasper Williams said. “Once he figured out how to handle him, he did a good job.’’

Griffin finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

The Blazing Trojans were led by Henry Hicks’ 13 points. Dejahown Freeman added nine points, and Jataryan Dejaraux and Lejavius Johnson had eight each for Bloom.

Braddock scored the game’s first basket to give Kankakee its only lead. Hicks then turned an offensive rebound into a three-point play and Bloom never trailed again.

Defensively, Bloom seized control of the game, forcing eight first-quarter turnovers and building a 21-7 lead behind six points from Griffin.

Bloom forced eight more turnovers and held the Kays to three points in the second quarter in taking a 40-10 lead into halftime. The lead was 66-17 after three quarters.

“We had a couple good days of practice,’’ Williams said. “We are at that point in the season where we have to get ready for the playoffs.’’