Coaches Reflect on C.P.A. – Baptist Prep Contest
C.P.A. dropped an opening round loss Wednesday night to Baptist Prep (Arkansas), 70-55.
The hosting Lions held both a halftime lead and maintained the advantage until the final quarter.
What happened?
“I thought the difference was when they switched to the 1-2-2 fullcourt, run and jump, obviously disrupted our rhythm because we are really good playing against a set defense,” said C.P.A. Head Coach Drew Maddux. “But I felt like that was a great call by them.”
FINAL: CPA falls 70-55. pic.twitter.com/gsVQsB7our
— PrepHoopsTennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) December 28, 2017
The fourth quarter flipped the script and Coach Maddux attributed the change to a new pressure defense.
“Some time you are just guessing and you call something different and you hope it works,” said Baptist Prep Head Coach Brian Ross. “If it doesn’t you try something else.”
The pressure did work.
“I can’t remember a fourth quarter where we ever got outscored like that,” said C.P.A. Head Coach Drew Maddux. “A lot of that was the rhythm, the game-change, the way he disrupted the flow of the game, and credit their kids. They did a great job of rotating and we turned it over a couple times.”
Dropping a quarter 32-11 really stung Coach Maddux. Part of the problem was clearly an extended Baptist Prep defense. But, Coach Maddux did not have his full backcourt when he needed them. Fouls kept a couple players off the deck.
“Matt Dial and McNeil Stout, two of our upperclassmen had four fouls, so that obviously hurt. They ended up fouling out of the game.”
In fact, three Lions fouled out. Starter Bryce McCormick finished with four fouls. He was able to play all game though.
Bryce endrued the burden of beating a 1-2-2 and also later in the game he was essentially running the offense too.
McCormick finished with 18 points (8-12 FT’s), four assists, four turnovers, and three rebounds. Turnovers were a problem. In all, C.PA. committed 22 turnovers. Bryce had those four, but Dean Cooper committed eight and Dial committed six turnovers.
Generally, C.P.A. takes care of the basketball better than that. This speaks to the importance of that Baptist Prep ball pressure.
“We are inexperienced,” said C.P.A. Head Coach Drew Maddux. “We are youthful. We are trying to figure this thing out as we turn the corner. That is what this tournament is about for us. Just trying to get better as we move forward throughout the process.”
The Lion Zone
C.P.A. ran a 2-3 zone most of the basketball game. There was a little wrinkle as one player matched up and followed Isaac McBride around the floor. Though McBride finished with 18 points if you are the Lions you are fine with the high-scoring guard making just 37.5% of his shots. His eight assists with zero turnovers rises to the level of a concern though.
“They do a really good job of making it to where you can’t get in a rhythm,” said Baptist Prep Head Coach Ross. “THeir kids are really smart and sometimes they will run and trap you and sometimes they will back off. Sometimes they will play really wide and sometimes they will pack it in really tight.”
Coach Ross gushed about the preparedness defensively of C.P.A. Despite the 15-point final margin realize C.P.A. kept Baptist Prep around 30% shooting for 2+ quarters of basketball.
That fourth quarter cost them.
Class of 2022 Braeden Moore finished with 17 points on 5-12 shooting from deep.