JEFFERSON TWP — Scoring points has been no problem for the Knoch boys basketball team lately.

Stopping the opponent from putting that basketball in the hoop has been the issue for the Knights.

Until now.

Knoch held Deer Lakes’ guard Tim Jaczesko to his season low on the way to a 65-39 thumping of the Lancers at home Wednesday night.

“Saturday practice, Monday practice, Tuesday practice was mainly devoted to defense,” said Knoch coach Ron McNabb. “It was little things like jumping to the basketball, not getting face cut. And it was a great defensive effort.”

Guard Austin Miller was particularly effective on the defensive end. His main assignment was following Jaczesko all over the floor.

Jaczesko, who came into the game averaging more than 25 points per game, was held to 16 on just 7-of-21 shooting.

“He gets everyone’s best look, best defender each night,” said Deer Lakes coach Jon McKay for Jaczesko. “Everyone keys up to stop Tim, but this was the fewest points he’s had all season. We’ve had some big-time defenders on Tim this year and he’s never scored below 20 until tonight. So, hat’s off to Austin Miller for playing his tail off.”

Knoch (7-4) also did a good job in help defense on Jaczesko. But Miller frustrated the star at every turn.

“I have to give Austin Miller a lot of credit because he just hounded that kid,” McNabb said. “We did a great job on hedging and help defense.”

Deer Lakes (7-5) came into the game shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. The Lancers were 0-for-20 against the Knights.

“You’re not beating anyone 0-for-20,” said McKay, who is a social studies teacher at Butler High School. “You’re especially not beating Knoch.”

While Deer Lakes was cold from the outside, Knoch was red hot again.

The Knights hit eight of their 11 attempts from behind the arc. David Gallagher was 5-for-5 for his 15 points.

“In our locker room, we had written all over the place, ‘Find No. 5 (Gallagher). Don’t let No. 5 get a n open look,’” McKay said.

Gallagher hit two 3s in the first quarter as Knoch led 17-13. The junior guard hit two more in the second quarter to help extend the Knights’ lead to 31-17 at the break.

In the third quarter, the inside game came alive for the Knights, who led 52-23 late in the quarter and by 31 early in the fourth.

Marc Vaughan had 10 of his 15 points in the second half.

Dakota Bruggeman pitched in 12 points for the Knights.

“Sometimes we rely on our bigs. Sometimes we rely on our perimeter,” McNabb said. “Tonight it was our perimeter. But I thought our bigs played very unselfish tonight. They passed up good shots for great shots and that’s what we have to do.”

Knoch returns to action Friday night when the Knights travel to Valley.

DEER LAKES 39

Cody Keenan 0-3 0-0 0, Zach Bryner 1-3 0-0 2, Tim Jaczesko 7-21 2-4 16, J.J. Kowalkowski 5-11 5-7 15, Adam Fredley 2-6 2-2 6, Zack Burke 0-2 0-0 0, Kevin Begley 0-0 0-0 0, Scott Ventura 0-0 0-0 0, Cory Pampena 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-47 7-13 39.

KNOCH 65

Austin Miller 3-7 0-0 8, David Gallagher 5-5 0-3 15, Dakota Bruggeman 6-10 0-0 12, Marc Vaughan 6-12 3-6 15, Chris Keir 2-3 0-0 5, Matt Zanella 4-7 0-2 8, Ben Pfeiffer 1-3 0-0 2, Asa Adams 0-0 0-0 0, Adam Albert 0-0 0-0 0, Caleb Thorn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 27-49 3-11 65.

Deer Lakes 13 4 8 14—39

Knoch17 14 23 11—65

3-point goals: Knoch 8 (Miller 2, Gallagher 5, Keir)

JV: Knoch 26-23

Friday: Knoch at Valley