Minus star, Benjamin boys fall at tourney
WEST PALM BEACH — Things didn’t go as planned for Benjamin at the Forest Hill Classic on Thursday afternoon.
The short-handed Buccaneers, playing without leading scorer Ben Lubarsky — out with an injured foot — struggled early and couldn’t recover in a 76-47 loss to Sunrise-Piper.
Javane Nugent scored 15 points to lead five Bengals players in double figures. Piper (8-5) advances to play Martin County or Inlet Grove today in a second-round game.
Benjamin dropped to 9-4 following its third consecutive loss. Lubarsky, a junior forward who has been a key player for the Bucs this season, is expected to return in two to three weeks.
“It’s tough when you lose 26 points, 10 rebounds and four assists from your best player,” Benjamin coach Brandon Arnette said of Lubarsky. “This was our first game without him, and guys have to learn how to step up and make plays. But it’s going to make them better in the long run.”
The Bucs got off to a sloppy start, turning the ball over five times in the first four minutes.
The Bengals took advantage, jumping to a 9-0 lead halfway through the opening quarter. Benjamin struggled to keep up, and didn’t get its first point until a Kaiir Elam free throw with 1:57 remaining in the quarter.
Piper led 16-3 after the first quarter, and extended its advantage to 23-3 less than a minute into the second quarter.
Turnovers continued to plague Benjamin throughout the first half, and the Bucs also struggled to hit from the field or the foul line.
Benjamin hit just six of its 14 free throws in the first half, while the Bengals hit from everywhere on the floor.
Jaquan Brown and McKayle Carter got hot from the outside, and helped stake Piper to a 41-12 halftime lead.
The Bucs went on a 7-0 run to open the second half. Still, Piper led 55-26 heading into the final quarter.
Benjamin had a huge free-throw advantage in the fourth quarter — and in the game — as the Bengals continued to play physically with a large lead. But the Bucs continued to struggle from the foul line, converting just 60 percent.
“We lost 19 free throws in the second half, and that’s just legs, and that’s just focus,” Arnette said. “We’ll be a lot better tomorrow.”
Elam led Benjamin with 13 points, while Jordan Travis added eight.