Compton went into Monday night’s road game at Wilson determined to prove that they’re still worthy of a shot at the Moore League title when they face Long Beach Poly later this season. Compton certainly proved themselves with an impressive win over the Bruins in a battle of top-four teams, winning 73-60.
Compton led by 30 points at the start of the fourth quarter but Wilson won the final frame 27-10.
“Combination of a lack of depth and inexperience,” said Compton coach Tony Thomas. “We relaxed.”
One player that really bothered was Compton’s leader, Pat Johnson, who had a game-high 24 points and who Thomas says is as competitive as any player he’s ever coached at Compton.
“We have to close the game out better,” said Johnson. “We just fell asleep, we can’t afford to do that.”
Compton came out hitting 3’s and dominating the boards, with 10 second-chance points in the first half. They sprang out to a 22-10 lead and kept that lead in double digits for the rest of the game, leading 39-24 at halftime and 63-33 after three quarters.
Wilson and senior leader Dallas Cooper led a big charge in the fourth, but ran out of time to threaten to change the result.
“We needed one more quarter,” said Wilson coach James Boykin. “It’s just the inconsistency, we have to handle adversity better. We get punched in the mouth and we lose energy. We’ve got to keep talking, keep the energy in the bad times so instead of being down 30, we’re down 18.”
Boykin said he was happy with the push his team made in the fourth quarter, even if it was frustrating that it didn’t come sooner.
“I’m proud that they didn’t give up, they fought back,” said Boykin. “It could easily have been a 30 point game all the way and they continue to just drag us through the gym, but that didn’t happen.”
Cooper led the Bruins with 23 points. Johnson was backed up by 20 points from Compton’s Malachi Scott.
Wilson (2-5, 2-2) is still sitting in fourth in the Moore League, and will travel to Millikan and Poly later this week. Compton (3-1, 3-1) will travel to Cabrillo on Wednesday.
