by Reid Murray ’22
February 19, 2022
The USN Boys’ Varsity Basketball team had a case of déjà vu on February 18, when it lost a postseason game to Goodpasture for the second time in two years.
The two teams squared off in the first round of the district tournament last season, when the top-seeded Goodpasture Cougars took down the eighth-seeded USN Tigers 70-51 in the first game of a run that would see them take home State title glory. This year, the circumstances were different, but the result was similar.
The Tigers entered the game as a one seed in the region, and their opponents were a two seed. Both teams had similar résumés: they were both regular season district champions, they held similar records, and they were both seen as potential favorites in the region tournament. However, Goodpasture proved to be too much for the Tigers in the semifinal, and secured a 60-46 victory.
One reason for the Cougars’ success was their ability to establish their style of play. While they have strong guards and can shoot effectively, the Cougars’ biggest strengths are their relentless defense and physical offensive play in the paint.
USN had some prior experience competing against talented forwards. Against Webb (Bell Buckle), the Tigers’ frontcourt was able to hold their own in the paint despite the presence of Webb’s 6’7” junior Stephen Olowoniyi. However, Goodpasture’s Jayden Jones, Jack Carter, and Xavier Shegog brought a unique challenge, especially on defense.
“I feel like what went wrong was we got sped up,” guard Josh Scretchen ‘22 said. “We just got bullied.”
In addition to the trio’s countless blocks and defensive rebounds, they made their presence felt on offense with a combined 36 points.
“What went wrong [was] probably just interior defense and then, definitely, second-chance points,” guard Adrian Samuels ‘22 said. “That’s what hurt us in the end.”
Scretchen said a shift in mentality could lead to more successful results in future games.
“We just gotta finish,” he said. “We gotta attack the rim, gotta box out, find a man, [and’ we gotta communicate on defense. It was just a lapse in focus, really.”
Although they can no longer win the region tournament, the Tigers’ season is not over yet. They will take on the Webb Feet in a third-place game that is also a repeat of the district championship, which USN won 65-61 a week ago.
The result in the consolation game of the region tournament will set the table for each team in the state tournament. The winner of the USN-Webb game will go East play the loser of Lakeway and Notre Dame on the road. The loser will have to travel West to face the winner of Sacred Heart and Evangelical Christian School.
