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For Phantoms, challenge is internal

As the Phantoms varsity boys basketball team struggles to realize their conference dreams, they've discovered that their most formidable opponent is themselves.

"We're having trouble finishing games," said Head Coach Dan Lopez. "We can play 30 minutes of basketball. Then for the last few minutes, we get away from things we do that are successful."

A case in point was their heartbreaking 43-41 loss to Valley Sanders in the opening round of the St. Michael's Tournament the weekend before last. The Phantoms outscored Valley 16 to 8 to take a 33-25 lead going into the fourth quarter. But in the final three minutes, their 8-point advantage evaporated and by the time the clock was down to 12 seconds, they were at a 2-point deficit.

"Valley pressed us the whole game," Lopez said. "We were breaking their press and all of a sudden we decide we're going to dribble through the press and we don't encourage that at all. Then we turned the ball over."

Making only two of 17 free throws, with eight unsuccessful tries in the last three minutes, didn't help either, Lopez said.

He was philosophical about the loss.

"We were in position to win the game and we just couldn't get any free throw to fall. I'll take that anytime because I know nine out of 10 times we will convert," he said.

Seniors Emanuel Webb and Lydell Talas led the Phantoms in scoring with 13 points each. Junior Bille Booth had nine points and 12 rebounds. (see related story for more on the tourney).

It was déjà vu all over again last Saturday against Fredonia. While the Phantoms went into the final quarter with a less-comfortable 4-point buffer, they held the advantage until the last few minutes of play. Unable to penetrate the Phantoms defense, the Lynx sank a 3-pointer that pulled them ahead. They then took advantage of a string of Phantoms missteps to unleash a scoring rally that added 10 more points.

"In the first half we kept them off the offensive boards and we told them at halftime that's why we were leading," Lopez said. "In the second half, there were about five possessions where they got the shot and missed, got the rebound shot and missed, got the rebound... In a game like that, that makes all the difference."

The scenario was similar in last Wednesday's exhibition game with Trinity High School from Australia. Again, they remained in the game until the final few minutes of play, until Trinity a thin lead to finish it at 69-59.

"With 3:40 to go in the fourth quarter, we're down by four, then we commit four turnovers in a row that led to baskets. So, by then their 4-point lead is now 12," Lopez said. "It's the same thing that happened to us at the tournament and it's something we're going to work on very hard. These are things we can correct in practice."

He is optimistic about the team's conference prospects, saying that young players like Danny Trenchard and Cruz Caballero will continue to improve with experience.

"We've been in every ball game except one, so we'll be ready for conference," he said.

In the meantime, the neck-and-neck contests have made for exciting high school basketball. This weekend is homecoming. The Phantoms play Beaver Dam, another strong school, this Friday with games at 4, 5:30 and 7 p.m.

"They've been beating a lot of people, so it's not going to be a cakewalk," Lopez said.


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