By ADAM BREWER
MVI Sports
When it comes to coaching a young basketball team, you can almost expect the unexpected on the court. You know you will face your fair share of tight, down-to-the-wire nail biters.
Elizabeth Forward boys basketball coach Matt Loftis knows that if the Warriors are going to be successful this season, this young squad must be able to close out games.
EF dominated in the middle quarters, and was able to withstand a furious, fourth-quarter rally from Mt. Pleasant to improve to 5-1 in Section 3-4A with a 58-54 triumph at home Friday.
“Our defense was very important tonight,” Loftis said. “We had to contest the outside shot and switch hard on some screens on the perimeter. We got a little bit sloppy at the end, but we showed our poise late. These kids never got rattled and stuck with it.”
Through eight games, the Warriors (5-3, 5-1) are 3-2 in games decided by 10 points or less.
“For a young team at the high school level, it’s hard to close games out,” Loftis said. “We have to learn how to do that. We were at our best in those middle quarters, but then in the fourth we let them back into the game with our mistakes. This team is always trying to improve and learning on the court.”
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