WS Chronicle

After coming away with the 2018 Lash/Chronicle championship in the Lash Bracket back in December, W. Forsyth was looking to keep up their winning ways against Reynolds last week.  Following a hard fought game, that was a back and forth battle, the Titans surged to a 69-61 victory over the Demons.

The pace of the game was up tempo from the tipoff.  Both squads implemented a full court press to begin the game to speed the other team up.  Ironically, both teams allowed easy fast break opportunities, while also causing several turnovers from the press moments later. With neither team seizing control of the game, Reynolds only held a slim 14-12 lead after one quarter.  

This game was really one filled with mini runs by both sides.  Every time either Reynolds or West looked to take control of the game, the other team would answer with some clutch buckets of their own.  Going into halftime the Titans led 38-33 behind some clutch shooting from Parker Nelson in the final minutes of the quarter.

“It was just one of those game where you just didn’t know which way it was going to go,” said Charles Thomas, Titan head coach.  “They played us tough the last time we played them in the David Lash tournament, so we knew it was going to be a tough game. They match up really well against us with their personnel, so it just came down to execution.”

The game continued to be a tight ballgame well into the third quarter.  The Titans continued to hold a small lead until Reynolds tied the game at 44 with just over two minutes left.  The Demons made a few more big shots in the last few possessions leading to a 48-46 lead, heading into the fourth quarter.

“I thought if we came out in the second half and control the first four minutes we would have a chance, we did and got a brief lead in the third quarter, but I think the difference was they made their free throws and we did not,” said Reynolds head coach Mike McCulloch.

The major difference in the fourth quarter was that the Titans made their free throws, while the Demons missed crucial ones.  The Titans built a nine-point lead at 62-53 with 3:19 left in the game. Reynolds even made a run late, closing the deficit to three at 62-59 with 1:19 to go.  In the end, West hit their free throws to win.

“It just came down to us finally settling in and executing and realizing what they were doing to us on defense and adjusting to it,” said Thomas.  “We talked about it, but sometimes talking about it and actually doing it are two different things. It took a while, but we finally did what we were supposed to do.

“We have an impressive record at 12-1, but a lot of our wins come down to us gutting them out in the end.  That gives them confidence, because they never feel they are out of a game, so that’s a good thing, but I would like it to not come down to the last few minutes of every game.

McCulloch said he just tried to keep his team in the game mentally during any stoppage in the game.  “It was a hotly contested game, basically muscle on muscle,” he said. “I told them, if a call doesn’t go your way or your teammate does something you don’t like, you have to refocus and come back to the team as soon as possible.”

Nelson led all scores on the night with 23 points for the Titans.  With the loss, the Demons fall to 1-1 in conference play.