Another slow start proved costly for the Chemainus Cougars junior boys basketball game in its first game back from the holidays.
“That’s been a bit of a common theme over our first four games this season,” noted Chemainus coach Casey Parsons. “It seems to take the first five minutes or so for the guys to shake off some jitters and settle in.”
Related story: Lead slips away on Cougars in fourth quarter of basketball opener
Playing at Duncan Christian School Thursday, the Cougars fell behind 9-0 before Brayden Screaton scored the team’s first basket after 5:13 of playing time.
“After that, the guys played solid,” praised Parsons. “They moved the ball to the right spots against DCS’s zone defences and got a number of back cuts for lay-ups and other high percentage shots.”
But the damage was done from that early deficit. It wound up being more than Chemainus could overcome despite prolonged periods when it controlled the play in a 49-44 loss.
DCS intense pressure put the home team in front 16-4 after the first quarter, with Screaton the only player managing to get on the scoresheet for Chemainus.
It was a complete turnaround in the second quarter once the Cougars found their rhythm. That led to an 18-9 scoring advantage and cut the deficit to just 25-22 at half-time.
Kai Kasting, Jordan Allinott, Screaton, Oakley Gauthier and Koen de Wit all scored points during the second quarter, as the Cougars’ teamwork started to pay off.
But the momentum seemed to get lost again after the half-time break in the third quarter, as DCS rebounded for a 13-7 scoring advantage and a 38-29 lead.
Again, it took 3:33 before Screaton scored the team’s first basket of the second half. Kasting followed with a basket and de Wit hit a three-pointer as Chemainus bounced back to life again.
In a carbon copy of the first half, that carried over into the fourth quarter.
“Down single digits late in the fourth, Koen de Wit and Jordan Allinott did a great job of picking up full court and creating turnovers, which led to cutting DCS’s lead to four,” Parsons pointed out. “Unfortunately, it was too little too late, but the boys showed a lot of determination to fight back and make it a game right until the end.”
Kasting and Gauthier did a nice job of finishing around the basket and Screaton was his usual self, grabbing several offensive rebounds for put-backs.
Screaton led the team with 12 points, Kasting scored 10 with a smooth shooting touch, de Wit added seven, Gauthier came through with five, Aiden Milton and Allinott contributed four apiece and Connor Kerr had a key bucket early in the fourth quarter that got Chemainus going toward the late comeback.
The junior boys have a home game against Brentwood College Thursday, Jan. 18 at 4 p.m., weather permitting.