The Alberni District Secondary School Armada senior boys basketball team has hit the floor running to start of their new season.
The Armada lost to Nanaimo’s Woodlands Secondary Eagles in a Wednesday night home game by a score of 60-48.
The Eagle’s Bryson Cox poured in 29 points including nine three point shots, while Josh Kurucz chipped in 19 of his own to lead Armada players.
The Armada was down by within reach at the half but turnovers already did damage, head coach Ryan Broekhuizen said. “They converted our turnovers into 16 points in the first half – that was the difference,” he said. “We never had one in the third and that got us back in the game.”
The game plan coming in was to play good defense and the team did that. But players need to be aware of the defense being thrown at them too. “They didn’t always see that they were in a zone but that will come,” Broekhuizen said.
It was the second time the team saw action in a week. The team is coming off of competition at a Victoria season opener tourney last weekend.
The team went 0-3 against Kwallicum, Esquimalt and Reynolds but were 3-0 in heart and effort, coach Neelam Parmar said.
“We were ahead going into the final quarter in two games but couldn’t hold it,” Parmar said. “Decision making under pressure hampered us and caused unforced turnovers.”
The team is made up predominantly of Grade 11 players, and are playing against teams of Grade 12 players who are bigger, stronger, faster and more experienced.
“The pressure can be intense and that can make players revert back to old habits and we have to get past that,” Parmar said.
The team is still getting used to the new offensive and defensive systems Parmar has instituted, and are working on playing against trap defenses.
The team is getting another chance to get used to the new system this weekend in Courtenay, where the Armada is competing in a tourney hosted at Mark Isfeld.
The team plays in the North Island league, and league games start in January.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com