Lehman’s Jamael Windom goes up strong for a dunk in a recent Lobos’ game. Lehman went 1-3 at the recent Seguin Tournament and will look to rebound this week at the Hill Country Classic Tournament in Lake Travis. (Photo by Judy Cooper)
by WES FERGUSON
After opening the season on a 3-1 tear, the Lehman Lobos were handed a reality check last week.
Lehman dropped three of four games in the Matador Classic in Seguin, leading head boys basketball coach Thomas Acker to assess his squad as a “really average team.”
“There was some good competition, but we’re just inexperienced,” Acker said. “We’re turning the ball over way too much, not getting stops on the defensive end, not creating opportunities to score, and probably the biggest issue is we’re not rebounding the ball well.”
The Lobos were forcing their opponents into taking difficult shots from the three-point perimeter, he said, but their inability to block out doomed them into giving up far too many second-chance buckets.
“The bottom line is we’ve got to put a body on a body,” Acker said. “It’s that simple. We’re turning, standing and watching. We’re not going to find someone to put a body on. That’s bothersome.”
When the Lobos do have the ball, he added, they still haven’t figured out how to score consistently from their half court offense.
“If we’re not in the race game right now, we’re not very good,” he said. “That’s on me and our coaching staff to do a better job.”
The first game of the tournament was the worst. Trailing San Antonio Brandeis 24-12 at halftime on Thursday, the Lobos sank in the third and fourth quarters, losing 65-27.
Lehman post JaMael Windom scored 17 points to lead the Lobos against Class 5A Brandeis. Matt Kallead led Brandeis with 16.
The Lobos bounced back in their second game of the tournament, riding a 20-9 burst in the fourth quarter to come back and beat host Seguin, 73-66.
Lehman had jumped out to a 16-15 lead after the first frame but watched the lead dissolve into a 42-36 deficit at the half. The Lobos pulled to within four at the end of the third before mounting their fourth-quarter burst.
Windom paced Lehman with 27 points, while junior point guard DeAndre Carson added 24. Lobos post Robert Salinas scored 7 in the win. Ray Hunter scored 18 for Seguin.
Lehman’s third game of the tournament was another ugly one, with the Lobos falling to Lake Travis 71-41. Windom again led the Lobos with 14 points, while Carson had 9.
In the fourth and final tournament matchup for the Lobos, against Class 5A Cibolo Steele, Lehman fell behind 21-9 after one quarter on its way to a 81-66 defeat.
Carson led the Lobos with 23 points against Steele, while guard Blake More added 12 and post Ben Wright scored 10.
Acker said he would demand more aggressive and physical defensive play from his team heading into the rest of the season.
“We are going to be OK if we start taking pride on the defensive end and getting stops,” he said. “It doesn’t get any easier for us, but our kids are learning a lot.”
The Lobos will be tested again this weekend as they head to Lake Travis for the Hill Country Classic Tournament.
