Bears stage comeback against Lynx team effort

 

T he Wingate Bears and the Rehoboth Lynx can both say they left their marks.

The Bears found a way to come back from behind and the Lynx showed how valuable a team effort is.

On Monday night, in the championship game of the Wingate Holiday Classic, Wingate defeated Rehoboth, 48-44.

"We've got a group of guys that are trying to make their own mark," Wingate head coach Al Martinez said. "We're coming off back-to-back district championships…we're starting to gel.

“We're trying to make a mark for ourselves and prove that we can play a little bit of basketball and that we are one of the better teams in the area,” he said. "Not only do we want to make a mark for ourselves but they want to go out and challenge the rest of the state – especially in triple A – and say, 'Hey we can makes some noise and we are somebody.’"

But in the championship match-up Wingate didn't start making noise until later in the game.

The Bears scored only six points in the first quarter and Rehoboth led 10-6 at the end of the quarter.

Rehoboth's star center, Joshua Holwerda, began the game but had to leave due to an illness.

But Martinez said even with Holwerda out, his team did a poor job taking advantage of the situation.

"I think with the big crowd the game got a little sloppy because the kids were just real excited," Martinez said. "We didn't really play like we normally do.

“They lost their big man for 2.5 quarters, I think that effected Rehoboth, too, but I think that they rose to the occasion by not having him," he added.

Slop and all, the Bears found a way to jump ahead in the second quarter and ended the first half up, 20-16.

Big plays by Wingate’s Brian Lee, Markus Hosteen and three-point shooter Evan Blackwell helped give the Bears the edge.

"We just find ways to win, and that's what this bunch of kids do," Martinez said. "We're not the greatest, in terms of talent, but I believe we have hearts that are big and a will to win and sometimes that makes up for lack of talent."

In the third quarter, Rehoboth senior Russell Kamps stepped in as the center and showed he could do more than work the paint as he shot back-to-back three pointers with 2:52 left in the quarter.

Rehoboth was up 29-27 but the two three-pointers put them up 35-27 and the Bears tied the game, 35-35, at the end of the third quarter.

Just when it looked like Holwerda wasn't returning the center walked back on the court with 7:14 left in the fourth.

But Lynx head coach Kevin Zwiers said he had confidence in his team as a whole.

"We played a fantastic game for most of the game without him in there," Zwiers said. "We told our guys that we're not a one-man team, we're not a two-man team, we're a team, we've got 12 guys.

“All 12 guys are important,” he said, “all 12 guys can go out there and do things for us."

Martinez said the win had more to do with mental factors than physical.

"Guts and resiliency, these kids they have big hearts,” he said. “We could have easily thrown in the towel. We were down eight points; we were able to come back. We were trying to focus on No. 11 (Kamps).

“We tried to make sure he didn't run over us and score 30 points,” he said. “We were able to do that but just looking for a way to win, looking for a way to keep the game close.

"We know if we have a chance in the fourth quarter and we're at home we're going to win a game," he said.

Zwiers said the tournament gave his team a chance to enjoy themselves and learn.

"We just talked about you’re not going to win everything, we're going to go back to our gym, we're going to start practicing, we're going to get better and we're going to improve from it," Zwiers said.

"The guys had a blast, they're a little bit disappointed but we never emphasize winning,” he said. “We don't talk about it. We talk about giving your best effort and they gave their best effort and they can walk off with their heads high."

In the third place game, Tohatchi won over Zuni, 66-61. In the fifth place game, Thoreau defeated Gallup Catholic, 50-47. And in the seventh place game, Laguna-Acoma won over Wingate II, 68-39.

Named to the all-tourney team were: Markus Hosteen, Wingate; Wauseka Becenti, Wingate; Jacob Jones, Rehoboth; Russell Kamps, Rehoboth; Jarred Stevens, Tohatchi; Mathew Eriacho, Zuni; Marcus Toya, Thoreau; Brice Blanco, Gallup Catholic; Ned Beecher, Laguna; and Emery Holyan, Wingate II.

Named co-most valuable players were Brian Lee of Wingate and Evan Blackwell, also of Wingate.

Back to top ^