MACON, GA -- The game plan wasn't to slow things down early on but that's what Veterans did on Friday night at Westside High School. That impromptu plan allowed the Warhawks to build an insurance lead and hold on to claim a 72-70 win.

With three key starters handcuffed with two fouls a piece, Veterans head coach Chris Kothe asked senior Maalik Leggette and junior DJ Rozier to slow the game down and run a methodical motion offense.

The plan allowed the Warhawks to build an early 15-point lead, which proved to be enough to hold of Westside.

"We had to do it out of necessity more than anything because of trouble," Kothe said. "That isn't how we play. That's not our game or our strength. We're not real good when we slow it down. We're much better when we are fast-paced and playing 84 feet both ways. The kids did a great job of taking care of the ball and getting good shots in that situation."

On several possessions, Veterans burned off at least 30 seconds before hitting a perimeter jumper. Bleeding the clock, knocking down jumpers and defending gave Kothe the chance to keep junior big men Bryan Hollis and Shazier Lawson on the bench with two fouls each.

Rozier, a junior guard, played with a broken wrist and gave the team some toughness that was needed on the defensive end. Leggette, a long 6-foot-3 senior, knocked down a handful of important jumpers in the second and third quarters.  

Kothe spoke to the depth of his team and credited the rotation to the team's second big road win of the young season.

"We have no superstars on our team. We have ten players that can play. We can start any of those ten guys and I'm comfortable and have faith in all ten of those young men," Kothe said. "The next person is as good as the person that is in front of him. We're real comfortable with that."

Veterans had five players score in double figures in the win.

Westside rallied back thanks to the perimeter scoring of senior guard JR Bryant, who hit five three-pointers. He finished with a game-high 20 points. Senior big man Damion Ottman added 13 points and nine rebounds in the defeat.

Veterans improves to 4-0 on the season while Westside is now 2-2.