Recap for the game: Taconic vs Hoosac Valley on Jan 20
Hoosac Takes a Step Back in Loss to Taconic
Staff reports
10:44AM / Saturday, January 21, 2012
ADAMS, Mass — Every time the Hoosac Valley boys' basketball team seems to be taking a step forward this season, the Hurricanes follow up a promising performance by taking two steps backward.
It happened again for Bill Robinson's young and inexperienced squad on Friday night. Three days after giving Pittsfield all it could handle in a two-point loss on the road, Hoosac threw up a clunker against Taconic, losing 54-34 at Adams Memorial School.
The Hurricanes (1-10) had rough night on offense, matching a season-low in points thanks to a 3 for 34 effort from the 3-point line. The hosts also went just 5 of 21 from the foul line, stifling an offense that scored just six points each in the second and third quarters of the game. The Braves (3-7) took over the game during that stretch, outscoring the hosts 28-12 in the middle of the game.
Unlike the game against Pittsfield, when Hoosac busted out for 21 points in the fourth quarter, Robinson's team was unable to mount any sort of comeback this time around, as Taconic held a 16-12 scoring edge in the final frame.
"A very observant individual would notice that we weren't very good from the lines tonight," Robinson said. "Even as poorly as we played offensively [in the second and third quarters], the coach in me believed we were going to make a run heading into the fourth quarter down only 16. It didn't happen tonight and on top of the poor shooting stats, we decided to not play good team defense and allowed Taconic to drive to the basket all night."
Three different players scored in double figures for the Braves, led by Peter Gregory's 15 points. Drew Scace added 12 points for the visitors, while Tyler Murphy chipped in with 11. Sophomore point guard Matt Braman led the 'Canes with 12 points and three assists, while junior forward Andrew Milesi had a solid night with eight points and a team-high 15 rebounds.
It hasn't been an easy season for this group of Hoosac players, but Robinson definitely wasn't satisfied with Friday's effort and wants more out of this team in its last seven games of the year.
"It's simple," he said. "We need a collective effort and make a commitment to excellence. We all know it's been a difficult year, but we have to draw a line somewhere in the sand and say, 'No more.' This type of effort can never be accepted again. There are no excuses, there is only us and the mirrors we hang in our homes. A slight glimpse into the mirror will go a long way to determining how we choose to finish out the season."
The Hurricanes next play at rival Drury at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
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