Forsyth Country Day too much for Tabor
( Photos by Charles E. Leftwich Jr, Above:. Jay McCorkle applies full-court pressure on FCD’s Matty Edwards.)
The first half of the varsity basketball season turned out to be a mixed bag for Mount Tabor. Lack of consistency at both ends of the floor is the prime reason why.
On too many occasions, the Spartans (6-5) suffered from mental lapses on defense, poor shot selection and far too much one-on-one offense. Those shortcomings were evident in a 78-61 loss to Forsyth Country Day in the consolation round of the Frank Spencer Classic’s Champions Bracket last week.
Coach Andy Muse wasn’t happy with how his team played in its final game of 2014. Looking ahead, he’s keenly aware that it does little good to dwell heavily on the past. He’s quick to admit that there’s much work to do.
“We’ll put that game against Forsyth Country Day behind us,” said Muse. “But we’ll also get better and move forward. This is a young team that’s still growing and still maturing. Youth, though, is not an excuse. It’s about basketball IQ and playing as one unit instead of playing as individuals.”
On the plus side, Mount Tabor has enough talent on board to compete favorably in a Central Piedmont 4-A Conference that’s viewed as a three-team race between Reagan (Spencer champs), West Forsyth and Reynolds. “The conference is up for grabs,” said Muse. “In our league, any team can beat any other team on any given night. To win the Central Piedmont, you have to take care of business at home and steal some games on the road.”
Jay McCorkle is the Spartans’ top performer. McCorkle delivers as a multi-dimensional swing player who scores and defends. Cameron Robinson, a 6-foott-5 power forward who can also play
on the wing, has the requisite tools to emerge as Mount Tabor’s most versatile athlete by season’s end.
At the guard spot, two-year starter Naeem Razzak does his best work when he’s setting the tone as the catalyst. As a sophomore two seasons ago, Razzak was a key element coming off the bench as the Spartans advanced to the Western regional title game before losing to eventual state champion Charlotte Olympic.
Razzak’s aggressiveness is the key to how well the Spartans function in up-tempo mode. Olufemi Boko has shown steady improvement as Razzak’s backcourt partner. Whenever Mount Tabor needs a boost, Muse calls on Cayse Minor, a swing player who can score points in a hurry. Jeremiah Canty provides front-line depth as a solid defender and rebounder.
“The good news for this team is that we’re better now than we were at the start of the season,” said Muse. “We continue to work on finding the right combination that works best for what we like to do. Now that we’re playing in conference, it’s a must that we find a way to stop our growing pains. I’m very excited about this team’s capabilities.”
