Blair's slow start loses them the game

JAN. 30, NELSON H. KOBREN GYMNASIUM-

Although Blair outscored Springbrook today by six points in the last three quarters, Blair lost with a score of 36-48. Today's game makes JV boy's season record 3-10. Today's loss was a huge improvement compared to the 34-point difference the last time they played Springbrook.

The first quarter pretty much killed Blair's chances of winning. In the end of the first quarter the score was 0-18, a lead Springbrook would not see again until the beginning of the forth quarter. The main problem Blair had in the first quarter was getting the ball in the hoop. The ball just was not going in. Blair's defense was the best they've had all season, the organization was like clockwork and their communication was clear but they still could not make any points. Every shot seemed like a winner but was always just an inch to the side and bounced right off the rim.

It was not until the second quarter that things started looking better for the Blazers. The three huge differences in the second was Blair's hustle, rebounds and execution of their plays. It was obvious to everybody that something had changed after Blair got three turnovers in the first minute of play. Then when sophomore Rashad McDonald started taking the ball in close to try the short shots, Blair started making the plays they were unable to earlier in the game. Sophomore Edwin Joyner complemented McDonald by grabbing many rebounds and just tipping it in from under the hoop.

The Blazers showed a whole new approach today when they went out slow and finished hard. This differed greatly from most of the games this season where Blair went out with a strong three quarters but lost the game in the forth.

Like the last few games the Blazers made the majority of their points from close up with their only three-pointer coming from freshman Darius Smith.

Many agree that the reason Blair lost was because of a poor first quarter. "Springbrook came out with a lot of intensity. We would have won if they didn't have such a huge lead," said coach Richard Porac.

"We got many opportunities in the first quarter, but we just didn't get any breaks," believed sophomore co-captain Tommy Dugan. "They ran us out of the court in the first quarter but afterwards we had a great hustle. We didn't block a lot of their breakaways in the first."

The team next plays Blake on Feb. 4 at 3:30 p.m. at home.