Chargers Recover, But Ultimately Fall In Tough Loss To Wildcats

Varsity Men's Basketball: Chancellor Chargers vs. Mountain View Wildcats

Wednesday night's 2017 opener for the Chancellor Chargers (3 - 5) definitely had its' ups and downs as the Mountain View Wildcats (5 - 8) were able to hold on a squeak out a 50-47 win.

The Chargers were coached by Assistant Robert Matos, who did great in his first head coaching chance of the year, keeping the Chargers level headed in a game against a hot opponent. The first quarter came off a bit flat for both teams, especially for the Chargers who were knocking off some Winter Break rust. Senior E.J. Jenkins had no problem however, as he quickly kept the Chargers in the game with 4 rebounds and 6 first quarter points.

The first quarter was highlighted by some fancy shooting by the Chargers, as Senior Jason Brown lead the scoring off 1 minute and 24 seconds into the game which was a key after the dreadfully slow start against Massaponax in their last game. Senior C.J. Washington would have his hand in things as well, as he tossed an incredible pass to Jenkins who was able to lay it up for points and start his hot night. Jenkins had another highlight when he blocked a shot, took the ball and was all alone with the net allowing him to slam the ball in for two points and shush the home crowd.

Trailing the Wildcats 11-15 going into the second quarter, the Chargers forced 4 Wildcat turnovers to forcing the game to stay close. Like Brown did in the first quarter, he started the Chargers off scoring in the second with a mind boggling shot that seemed to come from behind his back and into the net. The Chargers would trail the entire half, but Josiah Jones kept them within a point after his late, clutch three-point field goal. This would energize the Chargers, as they would head to the locker room only trailing by one despite some turnover problems.

The third quarter was all recovery for the Chargers, who started scoring like a machine continuously putting out points. Jenkins stayed hot, and Washington added his own successful three-pointer to the mix to give the Chargers confidence. Outscoring the Wildcats 19-9, the Chargers had fully recovered and held on to the ball more to create their largest lead of the night, 40-31.

Halfway through the fourth quarter however, the Chargers lead had dissolved to just one point after 5 consecutive turnovers that allowed the Wildcats to go on a run and eventually pull the game into a tie. The struggles on ball control continued and the Wildcats gained a six point lead leaving the Chargers breathless.

That was, until Jones knocked in his third three-pointer of the night to pull the Chargers closer. They would get the ball back and Matt Byram took a terrifying shot that found its' way through the net and good for three points to tie the game. Byram's shot would prove not to be enough to elongate the game however, as the Wildcats' Number 11 had the ball in his hands as the team's hottest shooter and the game on the line. He would hit the clutch shot, ultimately sealing the win for the Wildcats.

It's a tough pill to swallow for the Chargers, but they have much to keep their head hung high about as they showed resilience and an ability to potentially beat a very well-built team. Their next test will be Friday night, as they play host to their rivals the Courtland Cougars and hope to break a 3 game losing skid.

Notables

• Field Goals : Mountain View - 55% (16/29), Leader was No. 2 who shot for 64% (9/14). Chancellor - 43% (10/23), Leader was E.J. Jenkins who shot for 63% (5/8).
• 3-Point Goals : Mountain View - 27% (4/15), Leader was No. 11 who shot for 38% (3/8). Chancellor - 37% (7/19), Leader was Josiah Jones who shot for 60% (3/5).
• Free Throws : Mountain View - 50% (6/12), Leader was No. 5 who shot for 60% (3/5). Chancellor - 56% (5/9), Leader was E.J. Jenkins who shot for 83% (5/6).
• Rebounds : Mountain View - 13 Total (6 Defensive, 7 Offensive). Chancellor - 30 (22 Defensive 16, Offensive 14).
• Turnovers : Mountain View - 14 Total, 6 in first half. Chancellor - 25 total, 11 in first half.