Rookies Chance Westry, Yohan Traore lead Auburn to 36-point win over Israel Select Team
At Hader Yosef Gym on Sunday, Auburn defeated the Israeli All-Star Select Team 107-71, improving to 2-0 on its tour of Israel thanks to 30 forced turnovers and a steady lead.
RELATED: Observations and stats from Auburn’s opening win in Israel
“Our defense was good,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “We had guys like Zep Jasper, Tre Donaldson, Chris Moore, K.D., Yo and Dylan. Those guys really picked us up defensively and made plays with their athleticism, effort and energy.”
Freshman Chance Westry made seven of Auburn’s 18 steals and scored 18 points.
“Listening to coach, playing hard, and spreading the floor are the main factors,” Westry said. “It means a lot to us when we play hard and communicate. By pressuring the offensive player, they’re going to get tired and turn it over sooner or later. Bringing pressure to the other team and making them frustrated is the goal for us.”
Yohan Traore, a fellow rookie, scored 20 points to lead the Tigers. Johni Broome made 9 of 13 shots for 18 points.
“It’s all about confidence,” said Traore, who also scored 20 to lead the Tigers in Tuesday’s 117-56 victory vs. Israel’s U-20 National Team. “I came ready to play, ready to help my teammates win. Just bringing some great energy, playing hard and playing defense. We were locked in on defense.”
Israel’s 30 errors led to 46 points for Auburn. KD Johnson was the fourth Tiger to score in double figures with 15 points. Dylan Cardwell had nine rebounds to lead the Tigers.
Traore led Auburn to a 24-18 lead in the first quarter with 11 points. Westry’s 3-pointer, Traore’s basket, Westry’s steal and layup, and Cardwell’s steal and slam gave the Tigers a 7-0 run to conclude the period.
“All three of the freshmen are talented kids,” Pearl said of Traore, Westry and Donaldson. “They’re mature kids. They’ve got a little experience. Our veterans have welcomed and trained them. You could see the talent.”
After Jasper’s steal and pass to Wendell Green Jr., Broome’s putback jump hook pushed Auburn’s advantage to nine points at 32-23, but the home team responded with a 13-0 run to take a 36-32 advantage.
“Johni went crazy,” Traore said of his fellow Auburn newcomer. “Rebounding, blocks, hitting shots. He was incredible.”
Auburn answered with a 14-0 run to build a double-digit lead. Johnson hit a pair of 3s during the run. The Tigers forced 19 turnovers in the first half leading to 33 points.
Allen Flanigan beat the buzzer with a dunk after a long pass from Green to put the Tigers on top 53-41 at intermission.
The Tigers increased their advantage to 15 in the third quarter with Johnson hitting a 3-pointer and making a steal and layup. Flanigan’s drive put Auburn ahead 74-54 late in the third quarter.
Auburn’s international trip concludes Monday at noon CT vs. the Israel National Team on SEC Network.
“It’s going to be a great challenge,” Traore said. “This is going to be the best team we’ve played so far. I’m excited and looking forward to playing.”
“That team is going to be 30 or 40 points better than the team we just played tonight,” said Pearl, previewing Monday’s matchup. “It’s so great to be over here. The enthusiasm for Israeli basketball is very high. It’ great to have ESPN alongside of us. It’s been the trip of a lifetime.”
Additional quotes from Bruce Pearl, players
AUBURN HEAD COACH BRUCE PEARL
On team’s effort defensively …
“Our defense was good. We had guys like Zep Jasper, Tre Donaldson, Chris Moore, KD (Johnson), Yo (Traore) and Dylan (Cardwell). Those guys really picked us up defensively and made plays with their athleticism, effort and energy. It was really good, and that’s what you’ve got to do right now because we don’t have a lot of our offensive package in. We know that if we can use our athleticism to make Israel try to go faster by pressing up on them, it’s the right way to play.”
On getting production from the freshmen …
“All three of the freshmen are talented kids, and they’re mature kids. The thing I like about them is they’ve got a little experience. Our veterans have welcomed them, trained them. You could see the talent. Look, we’re only going to be as good as the guys that returned. That’s going to be a focus for us. Tomorrow night, we’re going to play the Israeli National Team, and that team is going to be 30-40 points better than the team we just played tonight. It will be a great challenge for us physically. They’re going to run great stuff, they’ll have a scouting report on us because they will have seen us play twice. We pretty much don’t have anything else in right now, so we’ve got to kind of go with what we’ve got.
“It’s so great to be over here. The enthusiasm for Israeli basketball is very high. It’s great to have ESPN alongside of us. It’s been the trip of a lifetime.”
AUBURN FRESHMAN YOHAN TRAORE
On back-to-back 20-point games …
“It’s all about confidence. I came ready to play, ready to help my teammates win. I was just bringing some great energy, playing hard and playing defense.”
On team’s defensive effort …
“We just play hard, we communicate, and we were ready to play. We were locked in on defense.”
On which teammates stood out …
“Johni (Broome). He went crazy. Rebounding, blocks, hitting shots. He was incredible.”
On playing the Israeli National Team tomorrow …
“It’s going to be a great challenge. This is going to be the best team that we’ve played so far, so I’m just excited and looking forward to play.”
AUBURN FRESHMAN CHANCE WESTRY
On Auburn’s 2-0 start to the trip …
“Just listening to Coach (Pearl) and playing hard and spreading the floor have been the main factors. By playing hard, what you’re going to do is win and give it all you’ve got. It means a lot to us when we play hard and communicate.”
On team’s defense, getting steals …
“Pressure brings everything. By pressuring an offensive player and turning them and turning them, they’re going to get tired and turn it over sooner or later. Bringing pressure to the other team and making them frustrated is the goal for us.”
On which teammates stood out …
“Everybody stood out. Everybody played hard and gave it all they’ve got. We’re our brother’s keepers, so at the end of the day, if one brother is down – Wen (Green) got hurt – we just had to pick it up and keep going. Yohan (Traore) plays hard around the rim, he can spread the floor, and he’s just an energy bunny. So, seeing him and KD (Johnson) out there is lovely. Two guys you love to play with. And just the whole team. We all come as one.”
On quick turnaround before tomorrow’s game …
“We’re going to rest tonight, hydrate, get some good food in us and just relax and get ready for the National Team tomorrow.”
