CYSS Blue Devils end season with 10-8 win

FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 18, 2015) -- The 9- to 10-year-old Blue Devils won their last Child, Youth & School Services basketball game of the season March 14 by defeating the Warriors 10-8 at Kefurt Fitness Center.

The Warriors jumpstarted the game with an Ethan Evans basket and aggressive defensive tactics, but lost the lead to the Blue Devils by the end of the first period 7-4.

Howard Williams, Blue Devils head coach, said because his team had beaten the Warriors twice in a row before, he told his team to stay focused before the game.

"You can't just step on the floor and think you're going to win," he said. "You are going to have to really play hard because this team is out to beat you and they are not going to roll over for you."

Although the Warriors trailed by one point going into the second period, their aggressive defense kicked into gear and held the Blue Devils off from scoring while they sank two more baskets to lead 8-7.

"They let the game become bigger than them," Williams said. "We were out of control for five or six minutes. So I had to call a timeout and (tell) them to focus, slow it down, stay in control ... do what you have been taught and everything will come to you. Once I did that, they settled down and played ball."

The tables turned in the third period and the Blue Devils took control of the game and held the Warriors scoreless while putting up three of their own points bringing their lead to 10-8, which became the final score after a scoreless fourth period.

"We had to pick it up on defense," Williams said. "We adjusted to a half-court trap and that helped us get more aggressive."

Game-high scorers were Blue Devils Jaquan Clark and Devyn Pearman each with four points.

Williams said sometimes baskets aren't made no matter how many times they are shot.

"You cannot always count on making your shots," he said. "Sometimes you are going to have an off game. The layups were there, the free throws were there, everything was there, but the shots just didn't fall ... but we made up for it on defense and that's what took us to the win."

Williams said going to a man-to-man defense is what won the game for them.

"We never played man-to-man at all until today," he said. "We work on foot work, moving feet on defense all the time at practice, so I tried to put it in play for the last game and they did an outstanding job."

Overall, Williams said, "it was an outstanding season" and the players came a long way.

Warriors 8, Blue Devils 10

Warriors (8)

Evans (2), Menzie III (2), Young III (2), Szczepanski (2)

Blue Devils (10)

Clark (4), Pearman (4), Mann Jr. (2)