In the aftermath of Community’s 59-29 loss to Harrisburg, Trojans junior forward Kaden Brooks admitted breaking down a team of that caliber is difficult.
“We don’t play teams like that,” …
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![Eli Johnson levitates trying to disrupt a pass by Harrisburg’s Brayden Ott, one of the visiting squad’s sharpshooters. [Leslie A Meyer Photography]](https://epsilon.creativecirclecdn.com/mexicoledger/original/20210723-135914-Comm%20Boys%20v%20Harrisburg.jpg)
In the aftermath of Community’s 59-29 loss to Harrisburg, Trojans junior forward Kaden Brooks admitted breaking down a team of that caliber is difficult.
“We don’t play teams like that,” he said.
By “like that,” Brooks meant a squad capable of dropping threes at will – from any point beyond the arc, by any player in a dark uniform. Three Bulldogs combined to hit eight treys, led by Brayden Ott who collected 12 points from three-point land. But Harrisburg proved equally accurate when they darted inside.
Still, the Trojans clung to Harrisburg at the start. When Ott opened the tap with the first of his four threes, Community R6’s Garrett Schmidt responded with a long shot of his own. When the Bulldogs converted from six feet out, Justin Duenke attempted a three under pressure.
Fouled in the act, he sank three free throws instead.
A bounce pass inside from Schmidt to Duenke, who sliced between defenders and hit a lay up, knotted things at 8-8 early on. Community was still clutching Harrisburg when Gavin Allen hit one of two from the line moments later.
But the Bulldogs were hot. After Brooks powered into the lane and beat his man in the paint for two early in the second quarter, Harrisburg reeled off 12 consecutive points – 9 on threes by Ott and Tanner Lanes.
“The first quarter we were with them,” Brooks said.
From that point, however, the game was a series of Harrisburg runs broken by moments when the Trojans showed that they had no interest in giving up.
Down 36-14 at the beginning of the third, Allen converted on a nifty turn under the rim. At 47-16 in the same period, Josh Thomas found some space and sank a three.
This came as part of a stunted rally by Community. Brooks followed up with two from the line. And despite a 5-0 spurt by the designated visitors in this Gary Filbert Classic contest at the Sports Complex at Mexico High School, Mason Carroll replied with a three from the top of the key.
In the end, however, Harrisburg was just too prolific on offense.
For the Trojans, Brooks and Duenke scored 7 each. And Community worked almost everyone into the scoring mix.
Carroll put 5 on the board, Schmidt, Thomas and Case Stafford added 3 apiece. Allen hit a free throw.
Brooks said Harrisburg was able to dictate the pace, but noted that the issue could be resolved in the future.
“In practice we’ve got to get better,” he said.
