EVERETT – Just two games into their inaugural season, the Everett Explosion have already displayed something most expansion teams lack.
Depth.
The Explosion bench helped carry the way to a 139-94 win over Vancouver on Tuesday, scoring 53 points.
Everett’s bench got help from a couple former starters as well as a guy who was teaching Algebra to ninth graders 51/2 hours before tip-off.
Shadrach Roome and Antwon Jones, who were benched after starting in Saturday’s opener, combined for 30 points in reserve roles Tuesday. Roome was all over the offensive boards, and his energy gave the team a spark in the second quarter.
“I like coming off the bench anyway,” said Roome, who had 13 points and nine rebounds in his first game as a non-starter.
Jones scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half.
The team also got a boost from reserve Corby Schuh, who helped spearhead a 14-0 run in the first quarter to put Everett ahead to stay.
Schuh was teaching math at Marysville Junior High earlier in the day. He got home from school at 3:30 p.m., took a quick shower, and was at the arena about an hour later.
“It wasn’t hard,” he said of the quick turnaround. “I had a little bit of jitters toward the afternoon, but it worked out. The students showed up and energized me at the game.”
Schuh estimated that about 50 people from Marysville Junior High – both students and fellow teachers – were in attendance at the game.
Said head coach Randy Redwine of his team’s depth: “We’re 10 to 12 bodies deep. … That’s a luxury with this team. Guys like Corby and Shadrach could start for most teams in this league.”
That’s more like it: Heading into the season, Redwine gave his Explosion players an unlikely goal of allowing just 80 points per game – 46 below the league average.
Redwine was not happy when his team gave up 133 in Saturday’s opener, saying that his team “has to go back to the drawing board” and that “I might have to bump (the goal) up to 90.”
The way the Explosion played in Tuesday’s home opener, the original goal may still be attainable.
Everett held Vancouver to 41 first-half points on 13-of-35 shooting while forcing 13 turnovers, including 11 in the first quarter alone. The Volcanoes scored 53 second-half points, after the outcome was academic.
Yet Redwine was more impressed with the second-half performance than the first 24 minutes.
“They played better defense in this game, but it took a threat from me,” said Redwine, whose team forced 27 turnovers for the game.
What was the threat?
“We have (today) off,” Redwine said, “but I told them at halftime that if the defense didn’t pick up, they’d be running for five hours straight.
“I think they got the message.”
Powell shines: Rashaad Powell didn’t match his 44-point performance from the opener, but he did score 28 and added 11 rebounds to add his second double-double in as many games.
Powell overcame a slow start – he missed his first two shots and had an early turnover – before getting untracked Tuesday.
The 6-foot-6 Powell plays several positions for the Explosion, including point guard, so that he can showcase himself for a possible NBA tryout. Powell worked out with the Seattle Sonics last August but was not invited to training camp.
Tip-ins: Everett used its second starting lineup in as many games. Powell and Justin Murray are the only players to start both games. They were joined by point guard Darrell Walker, guard Donald Watts and center AJ Stallworth. Walker was particularly impressive in his first start, scoring 15 points and adding eight assists.
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