DETROIT COOLEY HASN'T BEATEN RENAISSANCE SINCE NICHOLS TOOK OVER BUT HAS HAD ITS CHANCES. THE FIRST GAME THIS SEASON FOUND THE PHOENIX WINNING JUST BY TWO. PRESEASON THEY HAD COOLEY RANKED AS THE BEST TEAM ON THE WESTSIDE, SO THE PHOENIX KNEW THEY HAD A TOUGH GAME ON THEIR HANDS. FROM THE START, THE GAME STARTED OFF ROCKY. THE REFS CALLED ATLEAST 8 TRAVELLING CALL, MEANING THAT THIS ONE WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE. COOLEY LED AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER 11-10 AND WITH PHOENIX GUARD GERALD JOHNSON IN FOUL TROUBLE. THE SECOND QUARTER BELONGED TO THE PHOENIX AND SCORE GOING INTO THE HALF WAS 22-16 IN FAVOR OF RENAISSANCE. THE THIRD QUARTER THE COOLEY CARDINALS PLAYED INSPIRED BASKETBALL AND OUTSCORED THE PHOENIX 22-8 AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. THE HALF WAS PLAYED AT A COOLEY PACE THAT INCLUDED 55 FREE THROWS FROM BOTH TEAMS COMBINED. WITH GERALD JOHNSON FOULING OUT EARLY IN THE 4TH, RENAISSANCE HAD TROUBLE SCORING AND LOSS 54-47. CHENE PHILLIPS LED THE PHOENIX WITH 18 POINTS. MIKE HUNDLEY HAD 8 POINTS AND 5 BLOCKS FOR THE PHOENIX.

PHOENIX BOX SCORE (COOLEY)