Coach finds positives in River Lions loss
There are occasions in sports when coaches can take positives from a loss.
Saturday night in Newfoundland Joe Raso took more than one positive from a 125-115 River Lions loss to the St. John’s Edge.
“We played really hard,” said Raso.
“I think we played as hard as we have all year, but we just ran into a hot team.”
The Edge was playing on a full eight days off, and Carl English was once again the story for St. John’s. The veteran Canadian standout hoopster poured in a game-high 38 points in the win.
“They shot the ball really well, and we were in this thing right to the very end,” Raso said.
“They shot 50 per cent from the three, but we out-rebounded them.”
It also didn’t help that Lions forward Sam Muldrow received two quick fouls in the opening minutes of the game and couldn’t get into a groove.
Meantime, Devonta Pollard had his best game in a Niagara
uniform draining 29 points and pulling down 11 rebounds for the double-double. In fact, two River Lions recorded double-doubles in the loss as Jaylon Tate scored
16 points while dishing out 11 assists.
“Devonta was great, Adam Klie (20 points, 8 rebounds) was good,” Raso said.
“We’re trying to get better, and we played hard — that was huge for us. We almost beat a really good team on the road, and we almost got them and they played at their best.”
The same two teams hook up again Monday night in St. John’s to wrap up their respective regular seasons.
Raso has said all season long that the Mile One Centre is a difficult place to play, and he reiterated that Saturday night:
“You’re definitely on an island when you come here, but we’re going to go in on Monday and try to win and then get ready for the playoffs, but this is a very difficult place to get a road win.”
Lion Pride: Joe Rocca (flu) did not dress, while Kris Joseph suffered an ankle injury in the game and is listed as day to day. Raso hopes Joseph will play Monday night … Raso was quick to mention long-time Welland native and former coach and friend Frank Lostracco’s passing from cancer. Lostracco was good friends with former NBAer, and Rose City native, Mike Smrek.