By Jon Johnson
FORT THOMAS — The top-ranked Fort Thomas Apaches wasted no time asserting their dominance on Tuesday night, cruising to a convincing 78-43 victory over the visiting Duncan Wildkats in a one-sided regional matchup at home.
From the opening tip, the Apaches came out firing on both ends of the floor, building an early lead that only grew as the game progressed. Fort Thomas jumped ahead 25-12 after the first quarter and never looked back, leading 46-26 at halftime and 64-36 entering the fourth before emptying the bench under a running mercy-rule clock.
Malachi Johnson paced the Apaches with a game-high 17 points, showcasing his versatility with steals, sharp cuts, and long-range shooting. Channing Wilson added 16 points, igniting fast breaks and draining shots from deep, while Damarae Dosela contributed 14 points, including multiple three-pointers and efficient drives.
The Apache defense was suffocating early, forcing turnovers that led to easy transition buckets. Dosela opened the scoring with a pick-and-roll drive, and Wilson followed with a steal and dish to Dosela for another quick score. Wilson then converted an and-1 on a fast-break opportunity to set the tone.
Duncan fought back in spurts behind their big men. Isaiah Sumner and Jared Kempton each finished with 14 points for the Wildkats, with Sumner providing putbacks and foul-line scoring. Taygan Jensen chipped in 13 points, attacking the rim and hitting baseline drives. Pablo Ruiz added 2 points on a drive.
But Fort Thomas’ balanced attack and superior depth proved overwhelming. Michael Olivar scored 8 points down low, Elijah Titla added 8, including a block on defense and a deep three, and Amare Ethelbah knocked down back-to-back triples in the fourth with Wilson to stretch the lead further. Koby Hunter had 5 points, while Keon Williams and Aaden Anderson each scored 2 in garbage time.
The Apaches’ outside-inside balance shone throughout, with Dosela nailing long balls and Wilson finishing long outlets. Johnson demoralized Duncan with a trio of big shots, including back-to-back threes and drives that pushed the lead into blowout territory.
Duncan showed resilience in the third with Sumner scoring on jumpers and inbounds plays, but Fort Thomas responded every time. Wilson’s hot third quarter—featuring a deep three, rebound putback, and steal-and-score—helped balloon the margin.
By the fourth, the outcome was never in doubt. Titla and Ethelbah’s shooting, combined with Hunter’s interior work, triggered the running clock as the Apaches cruised to the win.
