Win for Flames snaps 4-game losing streak
MARBLE FALLS — Needing a win Feb. 7 to take a step closer to the playoffs, the Faith Academy boys basketball team instead took a giant leap.
That’s the because the Flames (8-14, 4-7) defeated Temple Holy Trinity 50-40. If Faith wins at Cedar Park Summit Feb. 9, the Flames will advance to the playoffs for the first time in the private Christian academy’s 12-year history. The win snaps a four-game losing streak.
But before the Flames could win, they had to overcome a 7-0 deficit to begin the game that turned into 18-11 by the end of the first quarter.
Head coach John Berkman said during halftime he emphasized a key point – let the Flames’ pressure defense dictate quick baskets.
"We turned that effort into every single possession," he said. "We allowed only nine points in the second half. I felt like our kids played extremely hard. It allowed us to get transition points."
It also allowed junior guard Lucas Wright to drop in 18 points, 10 coming in the second period. Meanwhile sophomore forward Reagan Vaughn added 13 with nine in the second half.
In addition, as a team the Flames were 16 of 26 from the foul line.
The players understood the value of possessions and that turned the game in their favor, Berkman said.
"We’d have two or three good possessions in a row and then take a possession off," he said. "They’d come down and capitalize. We talked about not taking possessions off. It turned up the intensity level."
He also credited junior guard Brian Freeman’s steals that "fired up our team" and senior guard J.C. Perea’s solid passing to teammates for layups.
"Everybody who played did something to contribute," Berkman said.
Tip-off against Summit is 8 p.m.