Young Seahawks lose to experienced Laurel boys’ basketball team

A strong second half from a Sussex Academy boys’ basketball team that started three freshmen wasn’t enough to overcome a fast start from a veteran Laurel squad Dec. 10.

The Bulldogs scored eight points before junior Tate Sickler got the home team on the board with a layup. Laurel’s ensuing 10-1 run gave the away team an 18-3 edge after one quarter of play. 

“There is a learning curve; we've seen it and it's manifested in a couple different ways,” said Seahawks coach Brad Leinbach.

Against Laurel, the Seahawks had trouble handling the Bulldogs’ defensive intensity and size.

Leinbach noted freshman Mason Glover's size and strength as positive but added that the first-year varsity player has to get used to not being the biggest, strongest kid on the floor. He believes ball fakes will help the young lad in the paint.

Following a second straight offensive outburst, the visitors headed into the locker room up 36-8.

“They had an opportunity a few times in this game to give up and make this really ugly, but they fought on,” Leinbach said about his greenhorns.

With a renewed focus, Sussex Academy kept things close in the third quarter with tight defense and good ball movement on offense. Ricardo Nock, Nate Elliott, Tate Sickler and Quentin Bowman all scored for the Seahawks. Laurel won the quarter 13-8, but the home team’s confidence was growing.

“They try so hard; the effort level and the consistency of it are there,” Leinbach said. “Some of those easy shots that make you feel good about yourself? We can't make those right now, but they fight through it.”

A morale-boosting takeaway from the game was a fourth quarter won by Sussex Academy 11-7, albeit against Laurel’s depth players. In the closing minutes, Leinbach got his bench valuable minutes but kept Quentin Bowman out on the floor. The senior finished with a team-high 10 points but double-digits would not have been possible if he didn’t get a shot at redemption.

“When the game was obviously in hand, and I took him out of the game, he begged with me, pleaded with me to go back in, and I said, ‘I need more from you,’” Leinbach said. “The last three minutes, he played hard; I put him out there with four freshmen and said, lead them.”

Laurel’s 56-27 victory moved the Seahawks to 0-2.