Cubs Will Take Lackluster Win over Willits

Roberto Navarrete catches some air as he takes a jump shot in Friday’s win over Willits. Also pictured ar #13 Cody Wyatt and #12 Ryder Pfau [Photo by Janice Coffelt]

Last Friday night in Willits, South Fork High’s varsity boys basketball team crushed Willits 50-27. “We’ll take the W,” said head coach Todd Vandenack, “but it wasn’t our best game.”

With many players a little off their rhythm coming out of the winter break rest, the Cubs had a slow start in the first half against the young rebuilding Wolverines. At halftime Coach Vandenack told his players he was pleased with how well the defense had held Willits, but the intensity of the attack needed to be raised.

The Cubs responded by scoring 18 points in the 3rd quarter while holding Willits to just 4 points. “Our defense is what sparked the offense,” said Vandenack. “We’d get a steal and a lay-up and built momentum from there.” Vandenack was able to try out a few new defensive looks and was pleased with how well the Cubs executed them.

CJ Van Meter asks for the ball in Friday’s win at Willits. Also pictured are Jesseey Rolf, left, and #23, Javier Alatorre [Photo by Janice Coffelt]

Sophomore CJ Van Meter led all Cub scorers with 13, including one from behind the arc, followed by junior Roberto Navarrete with 11, including one 3-pointer. Junior Scott Coffelt added 7 points, followed by sophomore Cody Wyatt with six. Junior Ryder Pfau had 5 points with one 3-pointer, senior Javier Alatorre had 4, sophomore Cooper Scott had 2, and senior Justin Michael and junior Jesseey Rolff each made a free throw.

 

South Fork      10    9    18    13      50

Willits              6     6      4    11      27

 

While the rest was quite necessary after the grueling game and travel schedule of the first half of the season, Vandenack is hopeful that once his squad is back into the routine of school their focus on hoops will reignite.

The Cubs will need every bit of intensity they can muster for their first Humboldt Del Norte Little Four match-up against local powerhouse St. Bernard’s this Friday. At 8-3 the Crusaders have racked up some impressive wins so far this season over much larger schools, including Fortuna, but they have also lost to Hoopa, so they are not out of reach for South Fork.

“It will depend on how well we practice this week,” said Vandenack. “We’re going to keep the motivation up by doing a lot of competitive drills.” Tip-off at St. Bernard’s on Friday is at 7:30.

Now 9-5 overall on the season, and 7-4 against fellow Division 6 schools, South Fork is poised to make a good showing in league and hopes to advance to the post season, both locally and in the North Coast Section.

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