Despite scoring at will during their first Moore League game in more than a year, Lakewood boys’ basketball wasn’t satisfied with the 86-75 win on Wednesday night at Wilson.
“We have to improve and right now we’re not very good,” Lakewood coach Duane Cooper said. “It’s about looking in the mirror. The goal is making sure we get better and not worrying about what everybody else is doing.”
Transfer guard Jalen Shores scored a game-high 31 points in his league debut, and 16 of them came in the first quarter.
“It’s our first games back so things are a little rusty and out of control but we’ll get better as the season gets rolling,” Shore said. “It’s been a year since actually getting up and down in a high school jersey… so we’re a little out shape but it’s alright.”
Lakewood (1-1) also got 20 points off the bench from sophomore Mason Robinson Pacheco. The Lancers hadn’t scored 86 points or more in a game since 2018.
“The coaching (at Lakewood) is amazing,” Shores said. “They get in you but they let you play free, and everybody gets a shot on the team. Even if you don’t get that much playing time, everybody gets a shot.”
Shores quickly scored the first two baskets of the game and Lakewood never trailed, but Wilson junior Dallas Cooper kept the Bruins in the game for as long as he could with a team-high 29 points. Bruins senior Cole Walker had 17 points with five made 3-pointers. Senior Benjamin Brown chipped in 12 points.
Lakewood held a 27-12 lead after the first quarter thanks to Shores heroics in the open floor, but Cooper cut the lead to 10 points twice in the second quarter with strong drives to the basket.
The Lancers closed the first half on a 14-5 run to take a 48-28 lead into halftime. They led by as many as 25 points in the second half.
Lakewood hosts Compton on Friday, and Wilson (0-1) visits Jordan next Wednesday.
