Perhaps the Liverpool boys basketball team is getting the hang of new head coach Matt Jacob’s new system quicker than anticipated, as the team’s level of play improved during a split of its first two games in 2012.
The Warriors evened its mark at 2-2 under Jacob last Tuesday night in an impressive home effort against Central Square, everything clicking in a 61-35 romp over the Red Hawks.
So good was Liverpool’s defensive pressure in the first half that Central Square only managed nine points. It didn’t even get to double digits by the third period, by which time the Warriors enjoyed a huge margin.
Better yet, on the offensive side all 12 Warrior players earned at least one point, 11 of them recording field goals. Tyler Bliss led with 16 points, while Abe Odum put up 10 points. Nate Redmond had seven points as Caleb Taylor and Nick Kline earned six points apiece.
Now the Warriors went for back-to-back wins Friday, against Nottingham, but could not overcome a shaky start in a 72-66 defeat to the Bulldogs.
All that Liverpool could manage was five points in the first quarter, allowing Nottingham to jump out in front. The Bulldogs maintained that margin the rest of the night, even in a foul-filled final period that featured 61 total points.
Mike Russo stepped up for 15 points, while Bliss (13 points) and Taylor (11 points) also hit double figures, with Odum (nine points) and Alonzo Grainger (eight points) close behind. Nottingham’s Tyquan Rolon led both sides with 20 points.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s girls basketball team returned to action, moving back to the .500 mark (5-5) with a 40-32 victory over Nottinhgam.
As with the boys, these Warriors only got five points in the first quarter against the Bulldogs, but recovered to take a 16-14 halftime lead.
Not until the homestretch, though, did Liverpool draw clear, as Lyteshia Price earned eight of her 14 points at the free-throw line and Jacy Kocan added 11 points.
Both Liverpool teams meet Utica Proctor on Tuesday, the boys at home against the 8-0 Raiders. After the girls play West Genesee on Thursday, each of the Warrior sides go to Utica this weekend for the Juggler Classic.
