Yoemen fall to Lorena in area round of playoffs
The Cameron Yoemen boy’s basketball team were defeated by the Lorena Leopards in the second round of the playoffs on Wednesday in a heartbreaker 67-60.
The game started out very even. Lorena started off hot from the three-point line, hitting their first two three-point shots. The first three-pointer for Cameron was made by Nolan Brashear (2). Cameron played tough defense, but Lorena made some spectacular shots anyway and started to mount a big lead. The Yoemen trailed at the end of the first quarter 22-10 in large part to the Leopards success from the three-point line. Coach Chris Reid did not wait until halftime to try and cool Lorena down.
“By full court pressing and running in transition offense, we hoped to wear Lorena down and tire their legs out over the course of four quarters,” Coach Chris Reid said.
The adjustments Cameron made on defense started to work and the Leopards success from the three-point line started to slow down. Cameron went on a scoring run of their own in the second quarter. The Yoemen were more efficient in fastbreak opportunities and matched up better with rebounding. Cameron was able to cut the deficit down to single digits with a clutch three pointer by JW Hollas (3). Hollas’s three pointer was then followed up with a fastbreak dunk by Ke’Vaughn Booze (13), which Booze then followed that dunk with a magnificent three pointer. The Yoemen went into halftime down 34-26.
“At halftime, we discussed closing out on shooters and getting out in transition faster when we secured defensive rebounds,” Reid said. “All in all, we felt we needed to be more aggressive.”
Cameron started the third quarter on an 8-2 run. Not only was Cameron able to pick up the pace on offense, but was able slow Lorena down so they were able to cut into Lorena’s lead. The Yoemen still trailed at the end of the third quarter 46-40.
Cameron came up with some big buckets by Zakorien Spikes (1) along with a three-point shot by Kaleb Burks (32). In an amazing comeback, Booze was able to hit two clutch free throws to take the lead by a point. During the last five minutes of the game, Lorena started to take the lead back. The Leopards started to get hot again from the three-point line and kept the Yoemen in check with making their free throws down the stretch. Cameron fell to Lorena in a hard fought battle 67-60.
“The difference down the stretch and in the entire game came down to three-point shooting and free throws,” Reid said. “They made eight more free throws and five more three-pointers than us. Reverse the tides on just a few of those shots and we come away with a victory,”
They may not have advanced, but the Yoemen still had a great season, and the town of Cameron is very proud of their accomplishments.
“Our kids gave maximum effort and played together as a team for the entire game. They never stopped competing and I am most proud of them for that,” Reid said. “This group of kids have given Yoemen basketball its first banner season in 10 years. That’s something no one can ever take away from them.”