The tide goes in, the tide goes out.
New Westminster Hyacks senior boys basketball coach Ted Cusick hopes his team gets to experience a ‘day on the beach’ soon.
The Quad-A squad hasn’t seen a lot of rewards for the sweat collateral invested yet, but small positive signs are starting to show, he noted.
“We’re starting to get better as a team and working together and they are starting to buy into my system,” said Cusick.
Besides a 1-1 record in Burnaby-New West league, the club has dived into a heavy schedule, returning from the Island last week with a split.
New West topped Duncan Christian 73-62, a day after Cowichan blasted them 82-48. In the win, Francis Fereripe tallied 27 points and Norman Manacsa added 25, while Trew Dancey counted six points and 10 rebounds. In the loss, Manacsa scored 15 points.
“(Cowichan) are a very big team, it seemed like all of their players were 6-foot-6 but they weren’t,” said Cusick. “We are very small so those match-ups give us a lot of trouble.”
The following day, a tired crew got off to a slow start against the smallish Duncan Christian team and fell behind by 12 before charging back to earn the win.
Just prior to the trip, the Hyacks bested Burnaby Mountain 89-62 in a league tilt, sparked by Manacsa’s 31-point performance, 22 from Federipe and 10 by Jiggy Susi.
It’s been a season of more downs than ups so far, Cusick admitted, with multiple injuries and a couple of kids quitting stalling much of the progress. But through it all, he sees a core group of players who are working diligently to force the issue when the Lower Mainland playoffs begin next month.
“Part of the problem was that early in the year it seemed like we were getting thumped all the time,” said Cusick, who returned to coaching New West after a two-year sabbatical. “It’s taken us a while to figure out what it takes to battle back.”
At the recent MEI tournament, the squad posted a 1-2 record – opening with a polished 105-73 victory over Burnaby Central, a key rival in league play. Manacsa led the way with 31 points, including seven treys, while
Harman Dhaliwal chipped in 15 points and five assists. They then fell 73-49 and wrapped up the tournament with a tough 81-75 overtime loss to Bodwell, a team that had earlier handed them a 12-point setback.
“It was a difficult way to lose, we were up and then one of their guys hits a three-pointer at the buzzer (to force overtime)… It’s what they call a moral victory, if you believe in those things,” he said.
New West’s lineup currently includes just three Grade 12s and some good speed. Their lack of size is a knock, but Cusick feels they are gaining valuable experience through adversity.
“It’s been a constant flux, one thing or another, with injuries and other issues, but they are real good kids.”
The Hyacks open the Killarney tournament today (Thursday), and visit Moscrop on Monday.
