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Dawgs cage Crocs in exhibition

By TJ MAXWELL
 
It goes in the record books as a win but the Copperas Cove Bulldawgs international contest against the Horizon Crocs of Australia on Monday felt more like a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition.
 
The Bulldawgs blasted their visitors from down under 87-33 to improve their season record to 5-6 on the season with just a week left before District 12-6A play begins against Ellison next Friday.
 
The exhibition served as a break from the grind and a chance to fine tune. The Dawgs were coming off a tough showing at the Bowie basketball tournament. The exhibition helped wash that bad taste out of their mouths and work on some fundamentals.
 
“It was good practice because we’re coming off a tournament that we didn’t do too well at,” said senior Malyk Thomas. “Going through this helped get us back where we need to be.”
 
Cove head coach Billy White Jr. saw it much the same way but hopes his team didn’t take it too lightly with the Leander Tournament and Waco La Vega on the horizon.
 
“It’s great we could let our hair down for a little bit, relax and just enjoy the game for a second. But, we turn around on Thursday and play Vista Ridge and Round Rock. Vista Ridge is undefeated and Round Rock Westwood dropped maybe two or three.”
 
White wanted to see his team execute despite the less-than-competitive environment.
 
“Mainly that we can still execute things we need to get done,” he said. I know you want to try and score because it would be easy, but can you still go set the screen and get the curl off of it because there will be somewhere down the road where we have to execute that play.”
 
White liked what he saw. The team was able to force turnovers and convert them at the other end – something they struggled with in the Bowie tourney.
 
“That’s exactly what has to happen,” he said. “When you get the pressure, you have to go down there and finish and that was something we weren’t able to do all the time this past weekend. It’s great to get that experience in a game time situation.”
 
The Crocs took an early 5-4 lead on a three-pointer by Aaron Puljic but Cove responded with 12-2 run to end the period as part of a 31-8 run to put Cove up 35-13 with 2:56 left in the first half. A steal and layup by Thomas capped the run. Thomas had another steal he slammed home for a 25-9 lead mid-way through the period. He had eight of Cove’s 26 points and three steals in the period.
 
“I felt pretty good,” Thomas said of his game-high 15-point performance. “I just tried to let things come to me and not force things.”
 
Thomas enjoyed the unique experience but, as a competitor, he didn’t take it lightly.
 
“It was real fun and they showed good sportsmanship,” he said. “It was a great experience.
 
“You can’t just let someone from another country come in and beat you in your own house. It would’ve been really disappointing if we did lose.”
 
All 13 players on the Cove roster got in on the scoring action. The exhibition allowed White to get more production from his bench.
 
“We were able to get some guys in and get them some under the lights time,” said White. “On top of it, you get to experience playing basketball against people from another country. That’s a great experience for the kids.”
 
Senior Devante Robinson added 13 points to Thomas’ game-high 15 followed by Antonio McCrae (10), Tyrese Cooley (10), Dahmir Pearson (8), Jordan Govan (7), Wyatt Behara (6), Trent Tardy (4), Daveon Thomas (4), Quinton Ford (2) Jyhlil Rice (2), Justus Honea (2) and Jacob Cothern (2).
 
Brock McMahon and Thomas Wilkinson scored eight each to lead the Crocs while Bradley McGrath had four.
 
The Dawgs compete in the Leander Tournament this weekend and will travel to Waco on Tuesday. Coach White wants to see young nucleus learn from those mistakes and show improvement over this stretch.
 
“We’ve made some mistakes but, at the same time, we were able to make those mistakes and be in those types of games early in the season,” said White. “Hopefully when get in those same type of games later, even though we’re young, we’ve been in those situations and won’t make those mistakes.”Time and repetition will help the Dawgs gain more continuity and cut down on the errors, says Thomas.
 
“It’s just a mental thing,” he said. “If we can just get more focused and do what we have to do, those mistakes won’t happen as much and we won’t lose those games.”
 
As for this weekend, he just wants he squad to compete.
 
“I just want us to play hard, play with intensity and just go out there and do our best each time,” he said.
 

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