Transition troubles are keeping the junior A Nanaimo Timbermen from being competitive.
The city’s B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League team suffered a pair of losses at Frank Crane Arena this past weekend, 15-6 to the New Westminster Salmonbellies on Saturday and then 14-7 to the Delta Islanders on Sunday.
Coach Tyson Leies said second periods were costly in both games, when the long line change caused problems for the T-men.
“We’ve identified what our nemesis is and quite honestly, everybody knows it’s our second periods and it’s our guys getting off the floor and on the floor to stop their fast breaks,” he said.
In the defensive end, the coach would like to see players show more willingness to get into shooting lanes.
“We know what we have to do when guys are lining up,” he said. “It’s just to sacrifice. We’ve got to step in front of sticks.”
He does think guys are getting better individually in the defensive end, he said, so it’s a matter of translating that into team defence and combining it with the other facets of the game.
“All we can do is look to improve on those strides and now it’s a matter of putting 60 minutes together instead of 40 minutes,” Leies said.
In the loss to the Salmonbellies, Jake Latin, Darrin Wilson, Connor Leies, Alec Molander, McLean Chicquen and Ryan Lewis were the scorers.
The next day it was Molander and Latin with two goals apiece, and Wilson, Chicquen and Leies also tallied.
GAME ON … The juniors host the Port Coquitlam Saints on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena.
