“When they went on their run in the second half, I think we sat back and kind of let it happen a little bit.”
The Aztecs’ third-quarter run was actually a continuation of a four-point burst to close the second quarter that put Keppel (1-1) ahead, 28-16.
A steal and a layup by Cameron Lee-Sung gave the Aztecs a 35-16 lead with 1:23 elapsed in the third quarter and was just the first of six unanswered points off turnovers. Back-to-back layups off steals of Nitros’ inbounds attempts in the backcourt gave Keppel a 23-point lead and, by the 5:42 mark, the Aztecs led, 41-16, with Glendale having attempted just one shot in the quarter.
Fernando Dela Cruz broke the long drought for Glendale with a three-point play on a drive to the hoop on the very next possession, but the Nitros scored just once the rest of the period and saw Keppel push the lead to 47-19 on a three-point play by Justin Young at the 1:50 mark.
“When you don’t have any inside game and you’re three for 14 from beyond the arc, you don’t have any outside game either,” said Snodgress, whose team shot 34% from the field and one for five from the free-throw line.
Things started off stably enough for Glendale, with Yetenikyan scoring six points in the first quarter to pace the Nitros. Keppel would outscore Glendale, 14-6, in the second quarter, however.
Anthony Tahmazian scored seven points and pulled down four rebounds for Glendale, which also got six points from Michael Arzoumanian and five apiece from Steven Gasparian and Dela Cruz.
“We’re going to have to play harder to compete,” Snodgress said. “It was a collapse, I thought. ...It was a tough one to watch, but we know what we need to work on, which is everything.”
Get in touch GABRIEL RIZK covers sports. He can be reached at (818) 637-3228 or gabriel.rizk@latimes.com.
