Nevada's rally comes too late

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Silas Smith puts up a jumper on Tuesday night against Colgan.

By Jason Peake

Daily Mail Sports Editor

PITTSBURG-- If the Nevada Tigers could have started the game the same way they started the fourth quarter, well, Tuesday's outcome may have been much different.

Bubba Banes pulls down a rebound against the Panthers. Jason Peake/Daily Mail

But unfortunately for the Tigers, a furious rally came way too late.

Nevada nearly erased a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but St. Mary's Colgan withstood the Tigers comeback attempt and finished strong for a 62-46 win in boys basketball action.

"This is disappointing and frustrating," Nevada Coach John McNeley said. "We just didn't execute. We weren't ready to play -- from a physical standpoint and from a mental standpoint. For whatever reason, I don't know."

Sluggish throughout the first three quarters and plagued by turnovers, the Tigers were down 47-26 entering the fourth quarter, as the host Panthers were on their way to a blowout victory.

But a completely different team took the floor in the final frame for the Tigers. With an intense full-court pressure defense, and with hot-shooting, the suddenly enthusiastic Tigers used an 18-2 run to cut Colgan's lead to 49-44 with four minutes to play.

"I think when you get one steal it fuels the fire," McNeley said. "And we hit a couple of shots. But I don't want to reward a team that didn't take the right approach for 26 of the 32 minutes. That sense of urgency was needed for 32 minutes of basketball."

Colgan turned the ball over several times against the Tigers' pressure, and Silas Smith found his shooting touch. Smith drained three three-pointers during the spurt, while Chris Enriquez made a layup and Isaiah Colopy contributed seven points of his own. Nevada was suddenly the team with all of the momentum.

"That showed how susceptible they were to being guarded," McNeley said. "We bothered them, but that's what we wanted to do the whole night. But we just didn't do it."

While Nevada had Colgan wobbling on the ropes, the Panthers never went down. Colgan regrouped and used a 13-0 spurt to secure the win. During the stretch, the Tigers missed several jumpers, committed a few costly turnovers and the hosts also got a few calls to go their way.

Nevada falls to 6-7 on the season with the loss, while the Panthers improve to 5-2.

Colgan, scoring inside and out, took control of the game right away with a 14-4 first quarter. The Panthers led 29-17 at the half and finished the third quarter with a 12-3 run.

"We didn't make them work to score," McNeley said. "They scored easily. It was frustrating. We thought they were guardable. We just didn't guard them the way I thought we should have."

On the other end, the Tigers struggled to take care of the basketball against a scrappy Colgan defense and just couldn't get going.

"We were too casual with the ball," McNeley said. "You have to be aggressive when you're being trapped. That tells me how mentally ready we were for the game. I thought we were prepared. It was frustrating."

A junior guard, Smith scored 19 points to lead the Tigers, including three treys. Senior Isaiah Colopy added 11 points. Nevada shot just seven free throws in the game and turned the ball over 27 times.

Zach Smith scored 21 and Dyson Dechant added 17 for Colgan.

Notes: Nevada's JV boys earned a 55-49 overtime win over Colgan. Clay Regers and Brett Norton hit late free throws to secure the win.

Nevada hosts McDonald County on Friday night. Colgan nipped Mac County 49-46 in December.

Colgan 62, Nevada 46

NE 4 13 9 20 -- 46

CO 14 15 18 15 -- 62

Nevada: Isaiah Colopy 4 3-5 11, Drew Bryson 1 0-0 2, Lane Ketterman 1 0-0 2, Bubba Banes 2 1-2 5, Alex Payne 0 0-0 0, Silas Smith 8 0-0 19, Cory Kerbs 1 0-0 2, Joseph Ferry 1 0-0 3, Chris Enriquez 1 0-0 2, Jamin Brandt 0 0-0 0, Nathan Colopy 0 0-0 0, Austin Herdliska 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 (4) 4-7 46. Three-pointers: Smith 3, Ferry 1.

Colgan: Z. Smith 21, S. Gilbert 4, C. Smith 8, L. Marquardt 6, D. Dechant 17, A. Barone 4, S. Sinnett 2. Three-pointers: None.

Comments

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Amen to disappointing and frustrating. So much athletic ability on the floor and they're not even at a .500 season. Let's take a look at the jv, although we don't hear much about them. They're playing a different type of ball AND they're WINNING.

This year's team has the potential to be at the top, however, they're struggling. If it's not broken, don't fix it. Hello, it's broken, let's fix it. We all know who makes the calls. We all know what's going on here. Come on Nevada, if there's an elephant in the room, acknowledge it.

Change is good! Look at what it did to our football program. Let's not beat a dead horse, we've been doing that for the last 10 years.

-- Posted by wootwoot on Wed, Jan 11, 2012, at 9:48 PM
It has been a disappointing and frustrating season thus far. I'm not defending the sub par record but I will say that I don't believe Nevada varsity can play the same style as the JV and consistently win. JV has an inside presence and consistent scoring. For the most part the JV plays hard the entire game. I would suggest this team (varsity) pick themselves up, dust off the attitudes, quit whining and play ball. They lack leadership on the court. Play hard when your on the court and be prepared when your called upon. Do some work off the court. Most of all remember it's about the team, not you as indiviuals. If I were coaching I would not be as gracious to the upper classmen who ARE NOT PERFORMING. I'd sit at least 2 of the seniors down. Blame the coach if you want to for maybe not motivating these boys, but ultimately the boys play the game, not the coach. P.S. Coach McNeley, coach all the games like you do when we are at home. There that's my critique of the coach.

-- Posted by Criticalthoughts on Mon, Jan 16, 2012, at 3:02 PM
I agree with you for the most part Criticalthoughts. There is a definite lack of leadership on the court but I owe that to the Coach. When seniors are favored due to their age and not their ability and effort, there will be a lack respect from underclassmen thus resulting in a lack of leadership. Who wants to follow a leader than whines and pouts? NO ONE! The coach has allowed this to happen. I will blame the coach. We saw the same boys on the football field this year as we did the year before and look at the different attitudes they all possessed. AND please don't ask the coach to coach all games like he does home games. I can't stand to watch a coach scream and yell, turn his back on the boys and throw clipboards - that's not coaching!

-- Posted by wootwoot on Mon, Jan 16, 2012, at 8:40 PM
I have to share, without the date and team name at the top of the article, I would have sworn these comments were from 1985, 1992, 2006....what I mean is the same comments have been made in history, different coaches, different schools and different players. We have a lot of "bleacher" coaches who can identify what is wrong and if the "method" is not the commentors "method" of choice, then it is simply wrong. You can't make all the people happy all of the time. Apply to be a coach, I hope you have thick skin!

-- Posted by bluelady on Tue, Jan 17, 2012, at 6:49 AM
Coaching is no different than many other professions. Expectations are part of the job, as well as criticism. Hopefully criticism is meant for good and done in good taste. Expectations are determined by the school and its administration, which should reflect the community that they serve. If you're truly unhappy, make some changes. Your administration, athletic director might be a good place to voice your concerns. Unless of course they won't listen to the community they are suppose to serve. Until then support your School, Coach, and Team. GO TIGERS.

-- Posted by Criticalthoughts on Tue, Jan 17, 2012, at 10:27 AM
I have coached and I know the skin it takes. I also know to win you don't allow senior players, your leaders, to whine and display attitudes of "better than" on the court. You can't make people happy all time, or there wouldn't be coaches period. In reality, look at the Tiger basketball program for the past decade. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. I have talked to administration - deaf ear. Great guys aren't always what is best for the team. I support our TIGERS, and the reason we have sports is to win. Is that what is happening here? Again, the football program in the past had good men, but we weren't winning, we made changes. Change is and was good for the football boys!

-- Posted by wootwoot on Tue, Jan 17, 2012, at 7:06 PM
Yes, it matters. Being part of a winning sports team in high school opens doors and gives them opportunities they may not otherwise have. Because of the success of the softball team, my daughter has been given opportunities that she possibly would not have had without being part of a state champion team. Colleges see that listed under high school honors and it makes a difference.

-- Posted by Jayne Novak on Thu, Jan 19, 2012, at 8:24 AM
What we do matters. It does not matter if you're in a small town, large town or major city. Extra curricular activities provide opportunity for growth and learning beyond the classroom setting. Young people are able to discover and enhance their gifts and talents. This great scheme of things that you speak of is called "Life". Learning to compete and work in a team setting is a very useful skill. Certainly what we do and how we do it matters. Even in a "backwater town".

-- Posted by Criticalthoughts on Thu, Jan 19, 2012, at 9:21 AM
My dear friend jimmy, you must have a child that is one of the favorites or a friend. The coach is a very nice man off the court, I personally feel though that there comes a time to make changes.

I have no frustrated athletic experiences, except for the games I have watched at Wynn Gymnasium. I have played ball and I was one who busted my tail end, earned my playing time because of my work ethic and skill. I also had the utmost respect for my coaches because they didn't put me on the court because I was a senior. They put me there because I worked hard for it. They also taught us to be a team, no matter if it was the water boy, an underclassman or one of the starters, we treated everyone the same and with respect. Take a poll of this year's ballplayers, it would be interesting to see if they would say the same about the coach they have.

I have also worked with great coaches and coaches on the other end of the spectrum. I have even wore the black and white stripes. I do have knowledge of the game. I appreciate you thinking he's done a good job, however, I think it's time for change. My opinion vs. yours. New blood proved itself in football, as I said before, change was good.

-- Posted by wootwoot on Fri, Jan 20, 2012, at 10:58 PM
Oh my dear Mrs Wootwoot:

I dont believe you ever played...certainly at this level or size of school

I dont believe you ever coached or worked with coaches'....I doubt you ever called a game

I dont have a child who is a favorite....I am a person with a long background in the sport....and am one of 1000's who love john mcneley and what he stands for....and appreciate the lessons he has taught his players as I grow and mature..guess what....I hope he stays long enough to coach my unborn grand children....Viva Coach McNeley

-- Posted by jimmy burke conway on Sun, Jan 22, 2012, at 11:26 AM
JBC - tunnel vision. It's not what winning teams are made of. Doing things the same way, over and over and over and expecting different results.

-- Posted by wootwoot on Sun, Jan 22, 2012, at 2:24 PM
wootwoot...that would be the definition of insanity...and though I like McNeley off the court, insanity is a well deserved definition for this scenerio and the girls basketball team as well.

-- Posted by tigerproud on Mon, Jan 23, 2012, at 3:19 PM
Maybe they should switch the two. Let Bartlett coach boys and McNeley coach girls. Sometimes going out of you comfort zone gives you a new outlook on things. Just an idea.

-- Posted by ccmom on Tue, Jan 24, 2012, at 8:43 AM

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