Another second-half comeback attempt fell short for the Warrenton boys basketball team as they lost another home game by one possession.
Warrenton (3-20) lost a three-point game against Winfield High School Friday, 57-54. After trailing by 11 points at halftime against Winfield High School, Warrenton used an 11-4 run to start the third quarter to trim the Winfield lead to four points. Warrenton basketball coach Mark Thomas believes the difference in the second half was the Warriors making more shots and shooting with more confidence. He also believes the Warriors shared the ball better in the second half.
“We really didn’t change anything except we just talked about at half believe in yourself,” Thomas said. “Shots are going to fall. Just make sure you share the ball. Sharing the ball is going to be the key, and I think we did a better job in the third quarter of that. That was the best third quarter we’ve played all season.”
Warrenton and Winfield played a back-and-forth game for the remainder of the third and fourth quarters. Warrenton had one final shot after getting the ball with 15 seconds down three points, but they missed a three point attempt to end the game.
“I gave them a play,” Thomas said. “We were trying to use misdirections cause I knew that they would key in on (Troy) Anderson and (Joe) Goldsmith. So we tried to run Issiah (Jones) to the weak side to the ball side corner. And then once he’s not open if they didn’t bite, we’re just supposed go to Joe and pick and pop with Joe and Troy.”
The play is something the Warriors had never worked on. Thomas said he made a judgment call in the moment.
“Looking back, I’d probably do something different now,” Thomas said. “With 15 seconds, I probably would have just inbounded the ball and just ran one of our normal sets they’re more comfortable with. That’s why I told them after the game I said I’ll take the last 15 seconds. That’s on me and I’ll own that for you guys.”
Thomas credited the battle and fight the Warriors showed to trim double digit halftime deficits in their last two games to one possession games in the second half in each of the last two games. However, he stressed the need for the Warriors to get off to better starts in the first half of games.
“We talked about it after the game here that if we’ll just start doing what we know we’re capable of doing from the start and not dig ourselves into a hole, then we don’t have to do that fight,” Thomas said. “I told them for instance instead of being down 14, if you’re only down five, and you do that same effort, now you’re up. So that’s what we have to do. We have to do a better job eliminating the other team’s runs.”
Warrenton lost 67-57 to Orchard Farm Tuesday. They are scheduled to host St. Charles West Friday.