- November 28, 2024
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Mainland will play five straight district games coming out of the winter break.
BY ANDREW O'BRIEN | SPORTS EDITOR
After losing by three points to Matanzas in December, Mainland coach Landis McCoy promised he would make some changes and throw some different looks at the Pirates the second time around.
McCoy and the Bucs did just that on Tuesday night, running past Matanzas, 62-46, in a District 5-6A game.
The difference this time, McCoy said after the game, was constantly changing the defense.
“We mixed up everything,” he said. “We played man-to-man, and then when (Matanzas) would run a certain play, we’d switch back to zone. It was a mixture to where their guards were confused, and their coaching staff had no idea.”
McCoy said his team watches about an hour of film each practice.
Mainland guard Tre Robinson said his team played lazy and gave up too many easy baskets in the first game against Matanzas on Dec. 13 (which was a 74-71 loss). On Tuesday, he said the offense wanted to push the ball up the floor and play more aggressive defense.
The film helped, too, Robinson said.
“That helps us with mistakes we make with our rotation on defense,” he said.
Mainland (9-6, 4-2 District 5-6A) led 12-6 late in the first quarter thanks to effective shooting from behind the arc. The Bucs buried another 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded on the first quarter to lead 15-6 after the first eight minutes.
Matanzas was able to cut the lead to 23-16 midway through the second quarter on some sharp-shooting by Madison Mlinac, but Mainland’s defense and transition buckets helped them pull away in the second quarter. At the half, Mainland held a 35-16 lead.
The two teams traded points for most of the second half.
Mainland continues its run of district games coming out of the winter break. The Bucs hosted Deltona Wednesday night (score was too late for print) and then will play New Smyrna Beach on Jan. 14 and Pine Ridge on Jan. 16 to close out District 5-6A play.
McCoy said his team needs to continue working on everything heading into February’s district tournament.
“Whatever don’t work on, it’s going to cost us,” he said. “We have to be consistent.”
