Counting on your all-stars is one way to win a basketball game, but counting on your entire team is better.
The Howe Sound Secondary senior boys basketball team got off to a slow start, but rebounded with a solid team effort in the second and fourth quarters to post a convincing 81-64 win over the visiting Elphinstone Cougars from Gibsons on Wednesday evening (Jan 14).
Trailing 55-53 at halftime, the Sounders then put the pedal to the metal and eventually wore down the Cougars in the fourth, outscoring the opposition 28-9 in the final 15 minutes.
"We used our bench better than they did and ran them down in the last quarter," said Sounders coach Ron Roberts. "Our fitness and the strength of our bench players won the game."
Although the game was an exhibition, the Sounders used it as a springboard for getting ready to play in this weekend's tournament at Chatelech High School in Sechelt.
"We're hoping to put all of the elements together at this tournament and get into high gear for the season ending run," said Roberts. "We're going to have a little fun out there but hopefully we'll come out on top. We play to win."
Currently, the Sounders hold an overall record of 7-3 and are 2-2 in league play.
"We're rounding into shape," said Roberts. "We're fit and mobile and shoot the ball well. Our defence is a little suspect but we're working on it."
It was the Sounders' third game back after the Christmas break, and coach Roberts was pleased with what he saw.
"It was a close game but our boys just ran them down in the fourth," he said. "Everyone played well, a good team effort."
Sounder Andre Zuckerman was the top scorer in the game with 19, followed by Jeremy Galley with 13 and Scott Yang netting a dozen.
