The fortunes of the Chemainus Cougars midget boys basketball team changed dramatically from one quarter to the next in their latest game.
The Cougars were locked in a 6-6 tie with Quamichan last Monday at Chemainus Secondary School when the visitors hit a three-pointer with less than two seconds left to take a 9-6 lead after the first quarter.
But things rapidly fell apart for the Cougars in the second quarter, as they were outscored 22-2 and fell behind 31-8 at halftime. The lead got extended to 50-8 in the third quarter before Chemainus finally scored again on two foul shots by Darion Legros.
The Cougars responded better after that and were only outscored 22-16 the rest of the way in a 72-26 loss to Quamichan that brought a full bench of players and lots of weapons.
Despite the sizable loss, there were some positive signs on the Chemainus side.
“The core of our team is really developing well,” pointed out coach Graeme Arkell.
The starting five of Owen Jaggers, Tyler Harvath, Ryker Belcher, Legros and Max O’Meara have earned their spots.
“They have proven to be responsible at both ends of the court,” noted Arkell. “Those boys kept the game competitive in the first quarter.”
Jaggers stood out again with his strong rebounding and willingness to go up with the ball in the paint. He drew fouls and capitalized on his free throws while scoring 13 points.
Harvath, who added five points, continued to dazzle defenders with his dribbling and drives to the hoop.
“He was able to separate himself from defenders, find open space and pass to Owen in the post for some easy assists,” added Arkell.
The latest game for the Cougars was at Shawnigan Lake School Tuesday.