Mustangs continue to struggle
Losing skid reaches seven games with loss to Brunswick
Bernie McGivern (pictured earlier this year) scored 11 points in the Mustangs’ loss at Brunswick on Feb. 10. He and Omari Peek were the only Mustangs with more than 5 and just four to score altogether. Photo by BRUCE BILLOW
When Omari Peek became eligible for Strongsville’s boys basketball team, the Mustangs were supposed to become formidable. They still might, but with a brutal schedule, things have been a struggle so far.
Strongsville stayed winless through seven games since Peek joined the squad following a mandatory half-season wait after transferring from Cincinnati Walnut Hills. On Feb. 10 at Brunswick, the Mustangs were competitive, but a cold shooting stretch did them in during a 52-38 Greater Cleveland Conference loss.
“It’s the same thing that’s been happening,” Mustangs coach Darren Collins said. “It’s mental lapses we have during the game. We call it finishing the play. Whether it’s offensively or defensively there are times when we don’t get a rebound, or we do execute and we miss a layup, or we miss easy scoring opportunities.”
The Mustangs fell to 5-13 overall with the loss, 3-8 in the GCC. They headed to the Feb. 12 district draw with a 0-7 mark since Peek joined the ranks.
That’s through no fault of the 6-foot-6 junior swingman. He was the best player on the court against Brunswick (14-6, 8-4), with game-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Peek just didn’t have a lot of help. Bernie McGivern scored 11 points, but no other Mustang had more than 5, and only four Strongsville players scored at all. That foursome included senior Mark Orszycki, who scored 5 off the bench.
“It was collectively tonight,” Collins said. “There were a few guys who had good moves to the basket and then just didn’t finish. All those things, if they turn around, it’s a 4- or 5-point swing.”
The entire Mustang roster went cold during a pivotal 10-plus-minute stretch that closed the first half and started the second. Strongsville went the final five minutes of the second quarter without a field goal as a 16-13 lead became a 26-18 halftime deficit.
Brunswick, which got 13 points from Kyle Goessler to lead four double-figure scorers, opened the third quarter on a 14-5 run to stretch its lead to 40-23.
“I thought in the first half we played really well,” Collins said. “I thought we played really good defense. I thought we did a good job on Goessler, which was our focus. We did a good job on (Zak) Zagrafos (12 points).”
The Mustangs just couldn’t put the ball in the basket, and when they did, it was too late. An 11-2 run over the latter stages of the third quarter and early part of the fourth got Strongsville within 8 points, but that’s an uphill climb against Brunswick’s defense.
“They’re very tough,” Collins said. “When you get to the end of the game where it’s an 8-point game, it’s almost like it’s 16. There were a couple chances where we got a steal and didn’t convert. Those things make a difference.”
The Blue Devils make things tougher on opponents by not making mistakes. They had just six turnovers against the Mustangs, none until late in the third quarter, when the game was out of reach.
“They’re well-coached, they execute, they do the right thing,” Collins said. “Hat’s off to them.”
Strongsville stayed winless through seven games since Peek joined the squad following a mandatory half-season wait after transferring from Cincinnati Walnut Hills. On Feb. 10 at Brunswick, the Mustangs were competitive, but a cold shooting stretch did them in during a 52-38 Greater Cleveland Conference loss.
“It’s the same thing that’s been happening,” Mustangs coach Darren Collins said. “It’s mental lapses we have during the game. We call it finishing the play. Whether it’s offensively or defensively there are times when we don’t get a rebound, or we do execute and we miss a layup, or we miss easy scoring opportunities.”
The Mustangs fell to 5-13 overall with the loss, 3-8 in the GCC. They headed to the Feb. 12 district draw with a 0-7 mark since Peek joined the ranks.
That’s through no fault of the 6-foot-6 junior swingman. He was the best player on the court against Brunswick (14-6, 8-4), with game-highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Peek just didn’t have a lot of help. Bernie McGivern scored 11 points, but no other Mustang had more than 5, and only four Strongsville players scored at all. That foursome included senior Mark Orszycki, who scored 5 off the bench.
“It was collectively tonight,” Collins said. “There were a few guys who had good moves to the basket and then just didn’t finish. All those things, if they turn around, it’s a 4- or 5-point swing.”
The entire Mustang roster went cold during a pivotal 10-plus-minute stretch that closed the first half and started the second. Strongsville went the final five minutes of the second quarter without a field goal as a 16-13 lead became a 26-18 halftime deficit.
Brunswick, which got 13 points from Kyle Goessler to lead four double-figure scorers, opened the third quarter on a 14-5 run to stretch its lead to 40-23.
“I thought in the first half we played really well,” Collins said. “I thought we played really good defense. I thought we did a good job on Goessler, which was our focus. We did a good job on (Zak) Zagrafos (12 points).”
The Mustangs just couldn’t put the ball in the basket, and when they did, it was too late. An 11-2 run over the latter stages of the third quarter and early part of the fourth got Strongsville within 8 points, but that’s an uphill climb against Brunswick’s defense.
“They’re very tough,” Collins said. “When you get to the end of the game where it’s an 8-point game, it’s almost like it’s 16. There were a couple chances where we got a steal and didn’t convert. Those things make a difference.”
The Blue Devils make things tougher on opponents by not making mistakes. They had just six turnovers against the Mustangs, none until late in the third quarter, when the game was out of reach.
“They’re well-coached, they execute, they do the right thing,” Collins said. “Hat’s off to them.”