Carl Junction found itself in an early double-digit deficit that proved to be too great to rally back from in a 73-64 loss to William Chrisman in the nightcap on the third day of the Kaminsky Classic.
William Chrisman (4-6) opened the game with all of the momentum, putting the first 10 points on the scoreboard over the first several minutes of play. Turnovers played a large role in Carl Junction’s early struggles. The Bulldogs turnover it over 19 times total, 13 of those coming in the first half.
“We have to start off better,” Carl Junction coach Justin Pock said. “We come out of the gates and do some things that are self-inflicted, like turnovers. We dig ourselves a hole that we have to climb out of. It takes so much to climb out of it and by time we do, the energy is done or they hit some shots. We just have to play four solid quarters and not turn the basketball over.
“When you come out in the game and you are down (10) to start, that is not where you want to be. … I don’t know if we have to change something mentally, but we can’t wait until the second quarter or halfway through the first to decide to play. There is no one we play where we can get away with that.”
The early deficit put the Bulldogs’ (1-9) backs against the wall early, forcing them to find a way to claw back into the game. The margin remained near the 10-point mark, with CJ going into the second half down 34-23. Carl Junction scored the first nine points of the third quarter all on 3-pointers by Sincere Williams, Alex Baker and Mylas Derfelt to trim the lead down to one possession, 34-32.
But just as quickly as, the Bears responded with a run of their own, scoring 14 unanswered to regain a foothold at 48-32. Dayne Herl and Trey Kates knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to start the run, with Alex Atagi scoring consecutively inside twice down the floor to push the lead back to double digits, 44-32, near the midway point of the third. Herl added two free throws and Anthony Watkins scored on the drive to close the run.
“It’s a game of runs,” Pock said. “We fight back to get in it, and then they break it away again. Now, all over again, we have to fight back to get back into it. We just ran out of time.”
Once again, Carl Junction was forced to fight back into the game, and the Bulldogs eventually cut the lead to five points, 56-51, with less than five minutes to play, but that would be as close to the lead as CJ would get before the final horn.
“We’ve been in situations where it would be easy for guys just to give up and not give any effort,” Pock said. “I tell them all the time, basketball is a long season. You have to continue to fight every game because it will pay off. I think it will for us, we just have to pull together and keep believing because good things will happen.”
STAT LEADERS
Watkins led William Chrisman with 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Herl scored 17 to go along with seven rebounds and three assists. Sir’Rhan Felix had 13 and Atagi finished with 10 points, with both players grabbing four rebounds.
Carl Junction also had four players in double figures, with Baker, Derfelt and Kyler Perry all scoring 12 points. Baker had seven rebounds and three assists, while Derfelt had three rebounds and three assists. Perry finished with three assists to go along with one board and a steal. Williams had 11 points, three assists and one rebound.
“We have different guys who can step up and knock down shots,” Pock said of his team’s offensive production. “We want it to be team basketball and a team effort. Offensively, it can come from anyone at any time.”
THIS N’ THAT
William Chrisman’s advantage in the turnover battle led to the Bears outscoring the Bulldogs 24-11 in points off turnovers. William Chrisman also had the advantage in paint scoring, 34-20. Though the Bears shot a better field-goal percentage, 47 percent to 45 percent, the Bulldogs had the clear advantage from the perimeter after knocking down 12-of-26 3-pointers as a team. William Chrisman was 5-of-14 shooting from the perimeter.
UP NEXT
William Chrisman matches up with Nevada at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday in the third-place game to wrap action in the Kaminsky Classic.
Carl Junction takes on Clever at 11 a.m. in the fifth-place game of the Kaminsky Classic.
