L-P can’t overcome poor first half in loss to Pontiac

The La Salle-Peru boys basketball team outplayed Pontiac in the second half Tuesday, outscoring the Indians by nine points.

Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, Pontiac outplayed L-P in the first half and the Cavs couldn’t overcome the deficit, losing 50-45 in a nonconference game.

“We did not play well,” L-P coach John Senica said. “The first half, we did not come out to play at all. The second half we did, but it’s hard to dig out of the hole we had in the first half.”

The Cavs struggled offensively out of the gate, not scoring a field goal for the first four minutes and falling behind 6-1.

L-P pulled within 10-9 with 1:25 left in the first quarter on back-to-back buckets by Nick Olivero and Marion Persich, but the Indians drained a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute to lead 16-9 after one quarter.

The Cavs pulled within four twice early in the second before Pontiac went on an 11-0 run to extend its lead to 15 points at 29-14 with 1:46 left. The Indians led 32-18 at halftime.

L-P came out strong to start the second half.

Olivero scored on three straight possessions on a putback, a drive for a basket and off an assist from Persich.

Erick Sotelo scored on an assist from Mikey Hartman to cap an 8-0 run by the Cavs to open the third quarter and cut the deficit to 32-26.

“I think the kids just wanted to start playing basketball,” Senica said. “The first half, we were letting them do whatever they wanted as far as pushing us around and doing what they wanted on offense. We weren’t playing any defense whatsoever, and that’s one thing we’re usually good at.”

After allowing 32 points in the first half, the Cavs held Pontiac to seven points in the third quarter and 11 in the fourth.

“In the second half we played a lot better defense,” Senica said.

The Cavs pulled as close as five points in the third quarter and trailed 39-31 going to the fourth.

L-P cut its deficit to as little as three points on a bucket by Persich and a pair of free throws by the freshman with 3:37 left that made it 42-39.

“We started running our offense,” Senica said. “We had too much one on one in the first half, too many guys trying to do too much instead of just running the offense.”

After L-P cut the deficit to three, Pontiac’s Aden Brummel converted a three-point play with 2:29 left and added a bucket on an assist from Cayden Mashing with 1:37 left to push the Indians’ lead to 47-39.

Sotelo hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute, including one at the buzzer, but the Cavs never managed to tie or take the lead.

Persich scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Cavs, while Olivero finished with 10 points and Hartman and Sotello added eight each.

L-P (6-5) next plays Mendota at 3:30 p.m. Monday in the Plano Christmas Classic. The Cavs are the No. 8 seed.

“I don’t know what to expect,” Senica said. “Mendota is a very good team. We have some time to prepare. Hopefully these kids can be ready to go.”