A loss to the PenHi Lakers on Saturday has lit a fire under the Golds senior basketball team.
Last month, the Golds defeated the Lakers in the Nugget Tournament. This time around Penticton beat SAS 68-61.
“We have to give the Penticton guys credit, they played better than we saw previously, and hit some tough shots,” said head coach Rhys Waters.
He said the Grade 11 players led the way in the game, as he felt the Grade 12 players never got into a rhythm.
Leading the way offensively was guard Dawson Mayes putting up 16 points, while Trajan Boyd contributed solid secondary scoring by knocking back 12 points of his own.
Waters says despite the Lakers’ strong play, the Golds were their own worst enemies.
“We were our own worst enemy this game, shooting 44.4 per cent from the free-throw line, a stat that got worse as the game continued, and 23 per cent from the three-point line,” said Waters.
The Golds gave away 13 points at the free-throw line, a stat that could have turned the game in favour of the Golds.
The Golds were frustrated with the loss, and Waters is hopeful they will use it as motivation in their upcoming games.
“We need that feeling the guys had after this game to stay in the back of their mind, and let it motivate them to avoid it again to close out our season.”
The Golds will face off against Mount Boucherie this evening. The Jewels will play at 5 p.m. and the Golds will tip off at 6:45. Before the games, the Grade 12 players will be honoured for time representing SAS.
