- December 25, 2024
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With Matanzas center Alex Davis out of the lineup, 6-foot-5 forward La’Darien Baker picked up the slack, but for the second time in three games, depth was an issue for the Pirates as they fell to Tocoi Creek in their home opener, 63-46 on Friday, Nov. 22.
“We kind of ran out of gas a little bit,” said Eric Guerrero, Matanzas’ first-year boys basketball coach.
Baker scored 19 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked five shots. Nathaniel Perry also scored 19 points for Matanzas, but TJ Boone (3 points) and freshman Jamel Guerrero (5 points) were the only other Pirates to score.
Matanzas (1-2) trailed by four at the half and tied the score at 24-24 early in the third quarter before the Toros (3-0) closed out the quarter with a 20-4 run to take a commanding 44-28 lead.
Baker, who displayed his athleticism with a block at the rim in the fourth quarter, is just beginning to realize his potential, Coach Guerrero said.
“I think he needs to know how good he is,” Guerrero said of the junior. “I think once he understands that, he could be a force on the floor and have that confidence and be a huge threat for us.”
Perry, who led the Pirates with 20 points in their 56-50 win against Father Lopez on Nov. 20, scored eight of his 19 points against Tocoi in the fourth quarter before fouling out.
“It slowed us big time,” Guerrero said of Perry’s foul trouble. “I think he’s a great floor general. He takes care of the basketball and he can score from all over the floor.”
The Pirates struggled from long range, hitting just 1 of 12 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc.
Guerrero said it will be an internal decision on when Davis will return. The Pirates travel to Daytona Beach to play DME Academy Blue on Nov. 25 and then return home Dec. 3 for a game against St. Augustine.
