Capacity Crowd Watches Cyclones Defeat Toilers
Story and photos by Robert Thomas
Playing in front of the league’s first capacity crowd of the season the Central Cyclones senior boys basketball defeated the visiting Peacock Toilers 94 - 34.
The game featured the much anticipated first showdown between the two teams this season.
As expected the Cyclones matched their speed and finesse style of play against the tough street brawling physical game the Toilers are known for.
The first quarter saw the Cyclones exhibit weaker than usual shooting failing to hit several baskets.
Additionally the Toilers, led by the biggest player on the court Luke Andrews, dominate in close.
The score at the end of the first quarter was Cyclones 18 and Toilers 11.
The score at Half Time was Cyclones 39 and Toilers 19.
The score at the end of Three Quarters was Cyclones 74 and Toilers 30.
The Final Score was Cyclones 94 and Toilers 34.
Both teams played their entire benches including Peacock who had to call up three players from the ranks of the school’s junior team due to injuries.
Central Cyclones head coach Barry Seaborn said it was difficult to assess how his team performed due to the Toilers injury problems.
“It’s tough to judge because the best player in the league (Mukungu Mutabazi) wasn’t playing. So it makes it difficult to judge where we are at,” Seaborn said.
“They miss him a lot and that will really change their game plan.”
Despite the final score Seabourn said he felt the Cyclones could have played better. Especially in the first half.
“I don’t think we played particularly well in the first half. We missed a lot of easy layups and we didn’t get on the floor for loose balls. And we didn’t play great defence either.”
Asked about the weaker first quarter he chalked it up to not enough work ethic.
“We came out lazy and we’re talking about defence all of the time and getting on the ball and the floor for loose balls and we did none of that. We played OK defensively but we didn’t get on the floor for loose balls,” he said.
“That’s one of the things we need to work on. We didn’t box out. They had more rebounds then is that is something we have got to fix.”
Seaborn said Peacock delivered the expected tough and physical game.
“They are big and they’re physical. They’re just big. Luke (Andrews) is huge and they’ve got a couple of other big guys and our kids have to learn to be more physical.”
Both teams style of play is predictable.
“We play with some speed and they play with physicality. And that’s the way it always is,” he said.
The move from coaching junior boys to senior boys has seen some challenges he has not experienced before. That is losing a game.
The team has not lost a game in the Moose Jaw city league but at a tournament in Edmonton last week they lost all three of their games.
“It’s a different world down there. We had one close game (107 - 103) and another we lost by 50 (points) and the other by 20 points,” he said.
Asked if the experience taught the team humility Seaborn said it was a good lesson for coaches and players.
“It was good for our kids to get whacked. And they realize we are not as good as we think we are. So it was great,” he said.
Despite how tough the teams were in Edmonton the Toilers are up there as well.
“These guys (Peacock Toilers) play as physical as some of the teams in Edmonton so it prepares us for this, but then again we half to take the game with a grain of salt,” he said.
“They’re brawlers for sure.”
Asked about discipline and the number of fouls the Cyclones had Seaborn said it’s something the team needs to work on.
“It gets hard when you’re guarding Luke (Andrews). He’s a bull in a China shop. And our guys have got to learn to put their hands straight up trying to block his shot. We weren’t doing that,” he said about fouls the Cyclones were taking.
Asked about another location where the Toilers even named a player they were going to force to take a foul and it happened Seaborn said “that’s discipline and it’s something we’re going have to work on.”
Despite the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s break Seaborn said the Cyclones will be practising “as much as we can.”
The hopes are to correct problems and a better final two thirds of the season and the run towards not only the city but also the 4A provincial championships HOOPLA 2024 to be held in Moose Jaw.
