The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
After a 3-0 start to the season, the Long Beach Wilson Bruins hit the road Tuesday night traveling to Bellflower to take on the talented St. John Bosco Braves.
With turnovers and slow starts in the first and third quarters, the Bruins couldn’t mount a comeback as they were defeated, 93-59.
“The first quarter we tried to match them up man and it wasn’t working pretty much,” Wilson coach James Boykin said. “They were hitting shots, I think they were in rhythm playing offense. Even though they have shooters I figured we had to change something up and give them a different look with a zone.”
After the Braves took a 2-0 lead, Michael Kirley gave Wilson a 3-2 lead early on. The Braves responded with a 9-0 run, however, and would lead the rest of the night.
Their momentum carried throughout the first quarter as the Braves took a 31-16 lead after eight minutes.
Sean Oliver, Keon Young and Salameh Dugum-Maraboto gave Wilson some momentum as they slowly chipped away at Bosco’s lead.
After a lay-up late by Dugum-Maraboto, Wilson was able to cut the lead to eight, the closest margin the Bruins would get in the game. At halftime, the Bruins trailed 50-40.
“Turnovers just killed us the entire second half,” Boykin said. “That’s what got them out in the third quarter, to start the fourth we couldn’t get the ball in and just turnovers. It’s careless basketball and I think guys just kind of wore down.”
Led by Kade Bonam, who scored a game-high 23 points, the Braves length and full-court press frustrated the Bruins in the second half. In the third quarter, Wilson scored nine points and a lot of that was due to turnovers that stalled their offensive rhythm.
To start the fourth, Bosco’s Jack Turner sparked a 7-0 run that put the Braves up 26 early in the final period.
“They’re a good team and it just starts to weigh on you over time,” Boykin said. “But as far as us playing them, it’s a good measuring stick to see where we’re at. That’s why I wanted this game, I love a challenge.”
For the Bruins, Young scored a team-high 15 points while Kirley and Sean Oliver scored 11 respectively.
Wilson will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Marina for a neutral contest against Aliso Niguel as part of Feast Week.
