The holiday season isn’t all about giving and receiving for basketball players.
It’s a time when athletes look to get in some extra practice without the concern of homework, while coaches focus on fundamental skills.
And when tournament time arrives, players perform with robotic-like precision.
That is, except this year. South Kitsap’s boys basketball team found itself outside the school gym for eight days because of the snow.
And after just one practice this week, the Wolves looked as sluggish during Saturday’s 59-42 loss against Inglemoor in the Les Schwab Bellevue Community College Christmas Classic.
Besides a rebounding margin that didn’t favor either team, South (4-3) struggled in most phases of the game. The Wolves allowed Inglemoor (4-1) to converted 50 percent of its field goals while making just 30 percent of their own. South coach John Callaghan said, “sometimes we play as if the shot clock is about to go off,” even though there isn’t one for high school in boys basketball.
“We didn’t play very intelligently,” he said. “We need to take care of the ball and dictate the flow of the game.”
Tionne Curry finished with a team-high 14 points — the only South player to reach double figures — but converted just 3 of 12 field-goal attempts. Curry, a senior point guard, acknowledged that his shot selection was poor.
“I took too many shots in the first half and they got fastbreak layins off them,” he said. “I told them that I took too many shots at halftime and all of us need to get to the basket.”
Despite that, South only trailed 25-21 at halftime. But the Wolves were hurt in the third quarter by transition points as the Vikings took 39-29 lead into the final period. Senior forward Todd Campbell was one of the many beneficiaries in transition as he converted 3 of 4 field goals for 10 points.
South, which never led in the second half, also struggled to contain Inglemoor guards Adam McElwee (16 points) and Benji Bryant (13). The Vikings led by as much as 17 points in the final period.
“Instead of just being solid, we were trying to steal every pass,” said Callaghan, who attributed some of his team’s defensive problems to impatience. “That led to them getting some nice looks.”
Callaghan said the level of competition at BCC allows teams to “expose” the weaknesses of others. He pointed out that all teams in the tournament were adversely affected by the weather conditions.
Still, Curry said the Wolves need to play with more intensity.
“We know that we can’t come out and be easy about it,” he said. “Every team has the same goal as us — win every game.”
Les Schwab Bellevue Community College Christmas Classic
Inglemoor 59, South Kitsap 42
South Kitsap 9 12 8 13 — 42
Inglemoor 14 11 14 20 — 59
South Kitsap-Greg Pickard 0, Isaiah Davis 2, Chris Blue 0, Ivan Rybachuk 0, Tionne Curry 14, Austin Siegel 9, Tre Haslom 3, Joey Osinski 6, Leon La Deaux 0, Brannon Bell 0, Mike Longmire 8, Riki Blas 0, Ricky King 0.
Inglemoor-Todd Campbell 10, Benji Bryant 13, Tom Dougherty 2, Adam McElwee 16, Adam Nwaelele 4, Paul Ena 2, Jerry Molina 2, Brady Gregor 0, Colin Hamilton 0, Eric Bryant 3, Paul Jorg 7.
