Well, the Coronado Islanders boys’ basketball team made a loud statement in their season opener. The boys in black and green drummed their cross-town rivals, Mar Vista, 74-55 to move to 1-0 on the year.
There were two major keys in the Islanders’ victory over Mar Vista: turnovers and the ability to convert at the free-throw line. The Islanders, as a group, play extremely on the defensive side. Due to their lack of size and rebounding in the front court, they have to.
As a group, Coronado would generate 13 steals, compared to the Mariners, who managed just three on the night. Leading the way in the steals department would be senior Loxly Johnson, who collected five in the win. The five steals would be a small part of Johnson’s monster opening night, as he would drop 24 points, grab six rebounds, and dish out five assists in the win over the Mariners.
As an offense, Coronado would operate best in transition or when presented with fast break opportunities. Austin Brown was a major reason for the success on the fast break. Brown would lead all Islanders with ten assists and had several excellent outlet passes.
Also operating well on the fast break would be Ah’Mahn Oliver. Oliver’s combination of length and speed allowed him to get into the paint as he racked up 17 points in the win over Mar Vista.
Following Coronado’s win against Mar Vista, the boys quickly turned around and began playing in the Fifth Annual Thanksgiving Regional Rumble tournament. In the team’s opening round game, they would pick up a win against the Hoover High School Cardinals by the score of 57-51.
It would be a decent night in terms of shooting efficiency yet again from the field for the Islanders, as after shooting at just 35% against Mar Vista, they would connect at a 37% clip against Hoover, including hitting at a 29% rate from 3 pt.
Brown would be a key part of the improvement from beyond the arc as he connected on three three-pointers in the win to go along with his team-high 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Loxly Johnson’s dominance also continued, putting 18 points, five assists, and five rebounds in the win.
While Kamarquis Davis did not fill up the box score as much as either Brown or Johnson did, his impact on the game was still palpable. Davis would score five points but, more importantly, grab three rebounds and generate three steals, giving Coronado extra possessions in what ultimately was just a two-possession game.
Following their win against Hoover, they would fall to Olympian High School, dropping their record to 2-1. Nonetheless, the early signs point to an improved Islanders basketball team in 2024.
Coronado will return to action on November 29th, when... Click here to read full article
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