Before Friday night’s contest at South Platte, Ty Ottoson was joking about the art of the post-blowout interview. There’s not much to say about a game decided by, say, 30 or more points.

After stomping the Knights 72-29, he could only shake his head.

“It was just what we were talking about,” he said.

Despite the lopsided score, however, the Coyotes started slowly. Clint Serres nailed a cool jumper in the opening seconds, but it wasn’t until the 6:13 mark when Potter-Dix again dinged the scoreboard. Bryant Knigge, left to his own devices by a suddenly complacent South Platte defense, netted a three pointer. Serres then followed with one of his own and the Coyotes began to howl.

“I was just feeling it,” Serres explained. “And when I got cold I started dishing it to others who were hot.”

They led 20-8 after one and soon began to pull away even further, thanks to a 31 point night by Ottoson.

Midway through the second period he grabbed his own rebound and muscled his way for two. Toward halftime he dropped one under pressure then converted a long pass into a full speed lay up.

He hit two more shots before the buzzer, while Kyle Gorsuch added a couple of points on a coast to coast charge and Luke Johnson tossed one in from the stripe.

It was 36-16.

South Platte could not keep up as the Coyotes stepped up the pace and intensity in the second half.

Ottoson’s points on a fast break pushed the lead to 20 points. Brady Knigge then made it a 46-22 game, with an assist from his brother.

“We kind of know where each other is going,” Bryant said. “A lot of playground stuff.”

As the third frame came to a close, Potter-Dix completed a quick Cody Aure to Gorsuch to Ottoson break, making the score 59-24.

“All week we worked on pushing the ball up court,” Ottoson said. “We’re really starting to click.”

Over the break the players hit the gym for a few informal rounds, taking the pick up contests seriously. Or, as Serres put it, “most of us worked our tails off and it paid off.”

As the Coyotes began to substitute, Thomas Wilbur took over, scoring four points over a few minute span. Aure rounded things out with a jumper as the game ticked under a minute to go.

“As the season has gone on they’ve matured,” head coach Phil Hoyt said of his charges. “They’re starting to believe.”

In addition to Ottoson’s 31, Bryant Knigge tacked on 15 and Serres 8. The Coyotes host Leyton on Friday before traveling to Hay Springs.