EDINBURGH — Team chemistry is one of the biggest hurdles that Edinburgh boys basketball has to overcome with a lot of first-year players on the team this season.
For the first half of Friday night’s contest against Class A No. 8 Oldenburg Academy, the team chemistry was there, as the Lancers stood tough with one of the state’s top teams and led 31-29 at the half.
The second half was a much different story. The Twisters turned it up an extra notch on defense and broke through Edinburgh’s defense at the other end, outscoring the Lancers by 20 after the break in a 65-47 triumph.
Edinburgh coach Drew Glentzer said that the first half is the best stretch of basketball his team has played this season.
“We were making our shots early, and it got us some confidence,” Glentzer said. “Everything is so much better when you make your shots. Your defense is better, your energy level is better, and your rebounding is so much better.”
The Lancers (0-3) hit 10 3-point baskets for the game, with seven of them coming in the first half. However, the momentum of the game changed in a hurry after the intermission.
“In the second half, we did not hit our shots and we hung our heads,” Glentzer said. “They are a team that you do not want to play from behind, because they are a very well-coached team. They’re ranked No. 8 because they know how to win games.”
Kyle Pendleton led the Lancers with 19, including four 3-pointers in the first half. Jacob Atha finished with 13 points and Bobby Simpson added seven points.
The Lancers opened up a 9-4 lead with Pendleton draining three 3-point baskets to start the game. Atha scored the next nine Edinburgh points to help build an 18-10 lead. The Lancers’ early lead could have been bigger if it were not for the great shooting of the Twisters’ Matt Moorman, who buried five 3-pointers in the first half on the way to a game-high 25 points.
The Lancers scored the first basket in the second half to lead 33-29, but the Twisters suddenly turned up the offensive intensity to and finished the third quarter on a 19-5 run. Oldenburg Academy then put the game out of reach by scoring the first 13 points of the fourth quarter.
Even in the loss, Glentzer said that the team is starting to progress.
“It is about having patience,” Glentzer said. “They understand they can do it. If they can put two good halves together, then they can win some games. We are coming along, and hopefully we can continue to make our shots.”
