For Cheney High School boys’ basketball head coach Chris Dunn, the key for the Blackhawks re-entry into the win column after six straight losses is twofold — play four quarters of basketball and finish the game.
Up by one after three quarters at East Valley Jan. 6, Cheney ends up losing by 10. Ahead by nine three nights later at West Valley, the Blackhawks lose 53-47.
That trend continued in a pair of losses last week, 51-47 to visiting East Valley Saturday and Wednesday’s heartbreaking 36-35 loss to Medical Lake in the Golden Feather Spirit Game. Especially the latter as Cheney played relatively well enough to own a 10-point lead after three quarters, and was within about three minutes of collecting their fifth win of the season when everything went awry.
In those final minutes, the Blackhawks missed five free throws, committed three turnovers, gave up a couple baseline drives and fouled a 3-point shooter as ML completed their rally for a one-point win. Dunn said his team played well defensively, holding the Cardinals to 24 percent shooting overall, and especially in the first half to take a 19-9 half time lead.
“We just shot ourselves in the foot,” Dunn said of the game’s final minutes.
Riley Jones led Cheney in scoring with 12 points. Cheney shot 32 percent from the field, but committed 20 turnovers; which is another issue Dunn said they need to reduce in order to get into the win column.
Against the Knights on Saturday it was the start that hindered Cheney. The Blackhawks fell behind 35-29 at the break, nothing insurmountable but enough for a team struggling in the stretch run as Cheney’s late charge fell just short.
The Blackhawks shot 35 percent to EV’s 40 percent from the field, and were again led by Jones with 15. Cheney turned the ball over 24 times against the Great Northern League’s fourth-place team.
“It just comes down to slowing down at the end of games,” Dunn said. “A lot of the biggest challenge with these guys is mental, not physical. I tell them to look back (at the losses) and see how close you guys really are.”
Cheney falls to 0-6 in league play, 4-10 overall. The Blackhawks four-game home stand continues this week with games Tuesday night (Jan. 20) against West Valley (3-2, 9-4) and against 2A third-ranked and GNL second-place Pullman (4-1, 11-2) Friday. Both are good, well coached teams, Dunn said.
The Eagles will likely still be flying high after handing top-ranked Clarkston their first loss of the season last Saturday. The Greyhounds are a disciplined team that handed the Blackhawks a 31-point loss the last time the squared off two weeks ago in Pullman.
“It’s just going to take us being tough,” Dunn said. “Mentally and physically tough.”
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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