12/23/2004
By: Brian Porter

PLANO - Joseph Fulce blew open a District 8-5A opener with nine points to open the second half Tuesday and Plano had no trouble with Plano West in a 71-48 victory at the Plano Activity Center.

Plano (11-3, 1-0 in 8-5A) used the win to lift its record to 9-2 against Plano West (7-9, 0-1) and gain early position in the district race a day after losing its No. 15 state ranking. Plano West failed to reach .500 for the fifth time this season. Both teams are idle until next week.

"We really felt like we had been stagnant in our last five games," Plano coach Tom Inman said. "We got out and pushed it."

Almost to the point that Plano West gained acclaim for earlier in the season when the Wolves hit the crest of their season.

This was a low point. Plano scored at will in the second half. Fulce hit his stride and Plano West had no answer.

"I don't care if we score 70 points, 40 or 130," Inman said. "It doesn't matter to me. As long as we score more than the other team, that's great." Plano West coach David Piehler could not be reached for comment after a game his team had led, 19-18, with 1:58 remaining in the first half.

The Plano scoring total was its third-highest of the season and second-highest in regulation. Only the 80 regulation points the Wildcats scored against the Jewish Community Center was higher. The 48 points Plano allowed was the lowest of the season for Plano West.

"I think Plano West has some good shooters," Inman said. "We wanted to get the tempo up and figured they would miss more shots."

Plano closed the second period on a 5-0 run and then Fulce went to work. The junior scored a pair of buckets to open the second half. Then he connected on a three-point jumper. Fulce came back with another field goal to open the second half connecting on 4-of-5 shots from the floor. It led to a 12-0 run in the opening 2:59 of the third period and a 35-19 advantage.

It all took place in front of 21 alumni from teams dating back to 1955, the most renowned of which was all-time scoring leader Michael Milton from the class of 2003.

Fulce finished with 11 points in the third period and could have challenged to break Milton's school record of 41 points in a game had his first half have been a bit better and the game would not have developed into a blowout in the fourth period to send Fulce to the bench.

"That record might have been gone if he would have played two halves like that period," Inman said. "He will break it at some point and time."

Plano West got a break to end the scoring run as disputing officiating calls went against Brandon Ware for a charge. The Wolves scored their first points of the second half with 2:44 remaining in the third period. Plano countered with an 8-4 run to close the period with a 43-26 advantage.

A high-scoring fourth period filled with Plano substitutes and continued inability of Plano West to score led to the decisive win. Michael Prince, a Texas Tech signee, was fouled out with 3:46 remaining when he drew a technical foul and Plano West turned in a late scoring burst to stride about the 40-point mark inside the final 2:30.

Every player active on the Plano roster scored in the game. Plano West without four players for unknown reasons.

Plano played at about the pace it wanted in the first half. The Wildcats led 8-4 at the end of the first period as Plano drained the final minute off the clock in a four-corners offense. The teams each converted 2-of-9 shots from the floor in the opening seven minutes of the game.

Plano West opened the second period with a three-pointer from Tom Heinemann to narrow the margin to one point. Sterling Melville gave the Wolves their second lead of the game, 11-10, with 6:02 remaining. The team drew two other leads in the period, the last with 1:58 remaining.

"I told them at halftime I thought Plano West was going to come after us in the second half," Inman said. "It was like a tale of two games."

Across the final 1:58 of the second period and in eight minutes of the third period, Plano went on a 25-7 run to make the game no contest in the fourth period.

Among the alumni in attendance were Larry Dunn (class of 1955) and Sam Shields (class of 1956) who each led Plano to the state tournament in 1955.

FINAL - Plano 71, Plano West 48

SCOREBOARD
Teams	Qtr 1	Qtr 2	Qtr 3	Qtr 4	--	Final
Plano West	4	15	7	22	--	48
Plano	8	15	20	28	--	71

Plano West (7-9, 0-1) -- Michael Prince 12, Taylor Sturgis 7, Craig Stanley 7, Tom Heinemann 6, Sterling Melville 6, Stephen Harrison 4, H.E. Neely 4, and Jerrald Bonham 2.

Plano (11-3, 1-0) -- Joseph Fulce 21, Lawrence Mann 11, Travis Vance 9, Brandon Ware 9, Ryan Manack 5, Sam Stettler 4, Mark Foster 4, Eric Zastoupil 4, Landon Skinner 2, and Greg Boyer 2.