By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School boys got their third win of the season on Tuesday of this week, but also lost for the first time this season on Thursday.
The Wolves beat Sherwood’s Abundant Life Academy 67-42 on Tuesday, then fell 69-47 to the 4-0 Wonderview Daredevils in Hattieville.
“It was crazy,” said Lighthouse coach Kelvin Parker. It was one of those nights where we couldn’t get anything to fall. Plus Wonderview is a pretty good team. They were in the state championship game last year and they have a really strong program. It’s definitely a basketball town.”
Evidence of the Wolves’ poor shooting can be found in the free-throw percentage. Parker’s squad, which is a guard-oriented team that typically shoots fairly well, hit just 3 of 21 foul shots.
When shots wouldn’t fall, Parker’s squad got anxious and began forcing situations and taking more low percentage shots – falling farther and farther behind.
Point guard Jordan McNair led the Wolves with 20 points in the loss while Zack Bobo added nine and Daeshawn Dickson scored eight.
Forcing shots was also something the team struggled with early in Tuesday’s game, but it got back into rhythm in the second half.
The Wolves and Owls played close for most of the first half. McNair hit a three pointer at the buzzer to end the second quarter that put Lighthouse up by 10 at intermission.
“We got off kind of slow and didn’t shoot that well early against Abundant Life,” Parker said. “We tried to force shots and weren’t running the offense. We settled down in the second half and got going a little better. Overall I think we played a really good game. We shared the ball well, especially in the second half, and that’s what ultimately got us over the hump.”
Bobo scored 21 to lead the Wolves on Tuesday while McNair scored 18 and added 13 assists. The week’s results leave the Lighthouse boys 3-1 on the season.
The girls lost both games, their first two of the season. They fell 57-16 on Tuesday and 46-15 on Thursday.
Parker, who also coaches the girls, said a loss of several players from last year could result in a rebuilding season this year. Three players transferred and another left the team for undisclosed reasons.
“It may be tough at times this season for the girls,” Parker said. “But they’re working hard and they’re going to keep getting better and better.”
1A Lighthouse doesn’t play again until Friday when it travels to Class 6A Sheridan.
