- April 25, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Three of the Sandcrabs' top players are hurt, giving the healthy guys an opportunity to stand out.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
It’s a worst-case scenario for the Seabreeze boys basketball team.
The Sandcrabs were a young team at the start of the season, only two seniors on the roster, compared to four sophomores and a freshman. And head coach Mike Dye said his team also had a lot of turnover from the 2011-12 season.
So one of the last things Dye’s team needed was to catch the injury bug and lose three players, which is exactly what happened.
Alex Loyd, a sophomore, separated his shoulder in the first game of the season. Dye said he was good for about 20 points per game.
Johnny Dukes, a junior, has been out with tonsillitis.
Joey Peluso, a sophomore, has also missed some time due to an injury.
“The whole team has to step up,” Dye said. “I've got 10 guys and and I’m playing them all.”
The Sandcrabs, with a 69-34 loss at Mainland Dec. 1, tallied its fifth loss in its first five games this season. But the team has shown flashes, Dye said; they just need to work on limiting turnovers and building their confidence.
“I’m sure there aren’t too many teams in the city that have the GPA that we have,” Dye said. “I know they understand, but they have to perform.”
Dye said he needs to get his team to the point where they’re not thinking through what to do, just reacting.
Doing that can also help eliminate some turnovers, which Dye said often come as a result of his players trying to force something that may have been there on a previous possession.
“Jeff Scott, the big kid in the middle, is stepping up,” Dye said. “And Jeff is just a tenth-grader. And when you don't have a lot of backups, kids play a lot.”
Jalen Hinson and Ridge Stewart, the only two seniors, have also taken bigger roles on the team. Dye said Hinson’s added scoring has helped fill part of the gap left by Loyd’s injury.
But the team’s vision and confidence just isn't there yet, Dye added, although he's optimistic that his players will get there.
“I’m hoping, because its just starting,” he said. “I'm hoping. But right now we’re going through a real difficult time in their confidence. It’s on their shoulders to pick it up.”
