Boys Basketball: Alder’s cold shooting continues in pair of losses

By Chris Miles

Sports Editor

You can’t win if you can’t score.

The Jonathan Alder boys basketball team is finding this reality out first hand this season.

The Pioneers (2-9) scored 45 points Saturday in a home date with Groveport, which was one of their better scoring outputs of the season, but still was not enough to secure a victory as they fell 52-45.

“The offense is a big concern,” coach Brent Cahill said. “We’re still playing a lot of younger guys who are fighting and scrapping and getting better, but it’s not going to get better overnight.”

The Pioneers are shooting a woeful 32 percent from the floor on the season and without being able to generate points, the Alder coaches know that no game is going to come easy.

“It’s a challenge every day,” Cahill said. “It’s a grind and we’ve got to keep at it. I think you’ll see us as a better offensive team a year from now, but it’s a slow gradual process.

“We’re not going to come out on Wednesday and score 70 points.

“As we get older and more experienced you’re going to see us improve on offense.”

On this particular evening it was a six-point first quarter which doomed the team. The visiting Cruisers outscored the Pioneers 21-6 in the game’s first eight minutes and never looked back.

The game was pretty much even after the initial start, which does give the Alder coaches reason to be optimistic.

“We’re keeping our heads up,” the coach said. “What we need is some type of success and preferably at the start of games.”

Alder was led in scoring by senior Mason Will, who finished with a game-high 19 points. No other player reached double figures, Hayden Hess was the closest with nine.

“The goal for us is to continue to get better every day,” Cahill said. “We’ve got to keep grinding and keep working hard.

“We can’t afford any low-effort days. Last year if we had one of those days we’d be able to bounce back. But we’re not skilled enough or talented enough right now to be able to do that. Every day is going to be a grind.”

Beechcroft 58,

Jonathan Alder 39

The Pioneers once again came up short as they were topped by the visiting Cougars Wednesday.

Mason Will led the way offensively for Alder with 13 points. Michael Yoder (nine) and Colin Mullet (eight) also had solid nights.

The Pioneers will next be in action at Washington Court House on Jan. 12.

Fairfield Christian 66,

Shekinah Christian 38

The Flames were upended by the host Knights in a game played Tuesday.

Justin Scheffel led the way offensively for Shekinah, scoring eight points.Michael Gingerich chipped in seven of his own.