Miscues Prove Too Much To Overcome, U. City Loses To CBC 85-73

Even though the University City and CBC boys basketball teams aren’t in the same conference, whenever they get together for game, it’s always a big deal, because many of the players on both teams know each other and are longtime friends.

Sometimes though, the matchups have been less than spectacular, as the players involved have been known to fall into the trap of trying to show off their individual skills more so than play the team game they’ve been practicing since October.

On Monday night, CBC was able to avoid that pratfall, but the U. City could not, and paid the price with an 85-73 loss at CBC’s D.C. Wilcutt Gymnasium.

“What was most disappointing is we’ve played as a team all year,” U. City head basketball coach Dave Gammon said, following the Lions’ second loss of the season. “They’ve done exactly what I’ve asked them to, and there’s so much hype when we play CBC, because they have so many U. City kids here.

“There’s just that rivalry there. And I think everybody was out to prove something to themselves tonight, instead of being able to remember that we’re in this as a team." 

U. City’s uncharacteristically wild play led to 27 turnovers against the Cadets, which CBC converted into 44 points – more than half the home team’s winning point total.

“It’s just inexperience, especially at the guard position,” Gammon said. “And we just didn’t stick with a very simple game plan. I was almost in shock, because they’ve done everything we asked until now. Then tonight, they came out and played as individuals, and it caught up to us tonight.”

Senior Travon Williams led U. City with 18 points, while teammates Jeffrey McGhee (14 points); Mo Washington (11 points); and Avion Ashford (11 points) each also had double-figure scoring nights for the Lions, who fell to 3-2 on the season.  

CBC junior Jordan Barnett, a 6’7 forward, led all scorers with 23 points, including two sensational slam dunks that helped the Cadets build a 24-point lead at one point in the fourth quarter.

U. City did manage to cut the deficit to 12 points with 2:29 left, thanks to a jumper and a layup by McGhee.

But a pair of back-to-back layups by CBC’s Patrick McCaw, who had 19 points in the game, extended the Cadets’ edge back to 16 points and ended any chance of a U. City comeback.

“Hopefully, this is something we’ll learn from,” Gammon said. “I think we will. You could kind of see on the guys’ faces in the locker room (afterward) that they understood we didn’t play like we’re supposed to.”

U. City will be back in action on Thursday night, when the Lions will take on McCluer South-Berkeley High, in a 7 p.m. non-conference game at MSB.

U. City’s next home game is slated for Wednesday, December 14, when the Lions will host Normandy at 5:30 p.m.

CBC Cadets 85,  University City Lions 73

SCORING SUMMARY

Score by Quarters

Final

University City

7

24

13

29

73

CBC

22

20

22

21

85