Sports: Wilbur Cross boys rally for 62-56 basketball win over New London
But Parker confident his young team will learn now to finish as it gains experience
New London — New London starts three sophomores and plays four sophomores a good part of the time. So it was coach Craig Parker's contention Monday night that his team hasn't really learned to finish yet.
The Whalers lost their last game to New Bedford, Mass., 79-76, what Parker would later call a "winnable game." And they lost a 24-point halftime lead Monday against Wilbur Cross, a team ranked just outside the GameTimeCT preseason Top 10 at No. 13 — New London didn't receive a vote — to fall 62-56.
New London led 41-17 at halftime, a first half so frustrating for Wilbur Cross that coach Kevin Walton removed all five starters and had them watch the end of the second quarter on the bench.
"We told them at halftime, we've got to come out like it's 0-0. (Wilbur Cross) is a great program. They have a great tradition," Parker said. "We're a young team. I don't know that we know how to completely finish the deal.
"I think we're a a good team. We, absolutely as a coaching staff, I love this team. We like our team. But we need to play this game another step."
Senior Syncere Gray had 13 points at halftime and sophomore Tayeshawn Cunningham-Pemberton 11 at halftime for the Whalers (1-2), who scored the final 13 points of the second quarter, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Rhodia Perry and Davon Benjamin during that span and a closing layup from Gray.
Wilbur Cross opened the third
“We told them at halftime, we've got to come out like it's 0-0. (Wilbur Cross) is a great program. They have a great tradition. We're a young team. I don't know that we know how to completely finish the deal.”
NL COACH CRAIG PARKER
quarter, however, on a 12-2 run, getting an opening 3-pointer from Derrick Grant. But New London still led by 17 on a putback by Gray and one of two free throws by Derek Raymond with 2:51 left in the third and the Whalers led 50-37 after three quarters.
That's when things got dicey for the Whalers with fouls. Cunningham-Pemberton had already picked up his fourth with 4:59 to go in the third quarter and spent a stretch on the bench.
Then, with 7:07 to go in the fourth quarter, Gray picked up his third foul trying to defend against a layup by Darius Esdaile and Gray and Wilbur Cross's Daquan Goodwin were accessed technicals in an ensuing scuffle. That made four fouls for Gray, as well, who quickly exited the game.
Grant hit a 3-pointer for Wilbur Cross that tied the score 51-51 with 4:49 remaining and the Governors took the lead for good at 52-51 on a free throw by Esdaile, which also doubled as Cunningham-Pemberton's fifth foul.
New London only scored twice more, both shots by Gray, who finished with 20 points.
Cunningham-Pemberton added 14 points and Benjamin had eight for the Whalers, who were outscored 45-15 in the second half.
Grant led Wilbur Cross with 17 points and Goodwin and Esdaile had 16 each. The Governors are 3-0.
Parker, whose team opens Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I play at East Lyme on Thursday, said he believes his team will be a threat locally and state-wide this season.
"Our foul trouble didn't help us," Parker said. "We need our main guys out there."