Boys Hoops Splits Pair Of Road Games

The Nantucket boys basketball team had the bounce back game they needed on Monday, a 71-32 win over the Sturgis East Storm, but were unable to carry that momentum into Falmouth for a full 32 minutes, losing 50-46. Nantucket is now 3-4 and head coach Willis Ferreira is searching for answers.

"Same old story," Ferreira said. "We can't score. We were scoring at will early in the game but then when we start to do what we want to do out there it doesn't work out so well for us. Then when we try to get back and do things the right way, it is too late."

The Whalers scored 17 points in the first quarter and were dictating play. Falmouth scored all four of their baskets in the opening quarter on three-point shots. Nantucket led 17-12 after one. They built a double digit lead at one point on the Clippers, but Falmouth kept battling back.

The Whalers offense began to cool down in the second quarter, scoring just nine points. They still led Falmouth 26-21 at halftime however.

"When we are making threes we are looking good but when we aren't we look horrible," Ferreira said. "Just not enough shot attempts. Not enough rebounding, not enough want to. A little extra where somebody makes a play. We don't have anybody who can do that."

Junior center Jack Halik led the team with 15 points but none of them came in the fourth quarter. Junior forward Jayquan Francis had 14 points on the day, but just one in the fourth quarter.

The Whalers offense struggled for the entire second half, scoring just 20 points. Eight of those points came in the final quarter. Ferreira said his team will be back in the gym on Wednesday to try to figure out how to generate more offense.

"This was a game we shouldn't have lost and we had a couple of those so far," Ferreira said. "We need to do a better job and I need to do a better job. Barnstable on Friday ain't going to be easy. Every game we have made 10 threes we have won and every game we have made one three we have lost. We need to be able to shoot the basketball. We need to start scoring."

The Whalers host Barnstable on Friday, January 13 at 5 p.m.