The Mexico boys aren’t satisfied with Saturday night’s performance.

Mexico vs Montgomery County Photo Gallery

The defending champion Bulldogs lost their rematch of last year’s Montgomery County Tournament title game 70-56 on Saturday night. Mexico went in the winner in three of the previous four tournament championship games but was outscored 22-12 in the second quarter and allowed 30 points to Clayton Parker.

Head coach Darren Pappas said Mexico’s offense didn’t resemble the offense he usually likes to see. While Montgomery (4-0) fed the ball to its all-state center Parker inside early and often, Pappas said the Bulldogs (2-2) settled too often on offense.

“We weren’t efficient on offense,” Pappas said. “We took some shots that we don’t necessarily always take. We didn’t work them, we didn’t attack the rim and we settled for shots around the perimeter.”

Pappas said it was obvious going in this time and going into the previous meetings that the 6-foot-8 Parker was going to be a big mismatch, proving to be early with 14 first-half points on the way to tournament MVP honors. Post players PJ Perkins and Holden Aulbur and others “gave everything they could” while defending Parker and scored against him — namely Perkins’ double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Jaydon Eldridge followed Perkins in points with 13 but led Mexico throughout the week, earning Mexico’s lone spot on the all-tournament team with an average of 17 points in three games. Kaden Benne and Charlie Fisher each had 12 points.

Pappas said Mexico needed better offensive efficiency especially to counter a team as deep as Montgomery. The Wildcats returned six seniors from a Class 3 fourth-place team a season ago and added senior Andrew Moore, an all-state player who transferred from Class 6 Troy Buchanan, and his 11 points on Saturday night.

“It starts with Moore and Parker,” Pappas said when talking about the challenge of defending Montgomery. “(All-tournament team member) Isaiah Thomas has done a really good job of handling the basketball. I don’t think we turned him over as much as we have in the past.”

The Wildcats have a large veteran presence this season with a group of players who have been through a lot together tracing back before high school. Mexico has a collection of kids who have plenty of experience together as well and mounted a run in the third quarter.

After trailing 36-24 at halftime, Mexico cut its deficit to as low as seven points in the third quarter. The junior guard Benne led the charge with nine points in the quarter as shots were finally being strung together after a low start to the season. Pappas found that encouraging as the Bulldogs move forward.

“It’s very promising,” Pappas said. “We need Kaden Benne to be that double-digit scorer that we know he can be. We’ve got to have the other guys around him — our other four starters — rise up the challenge as well.”

Pappas said Mexico can learn much from losing to a high-quality team like Montgomery such as limiting turnovers, improving defense and shooting, and sustaining runs like the Bulldogs’ one in the third quarter. He added it is early and has confidence his kids will fix those issues.

“I still like our team and our chances,” Pappas said. “It’s way early in the season, and there’s a lot to improve on.”