OBSERVER Staff Report
GOWANDA - Jacob Lockett scored 29 points and four players scored in double figures as the Dunkirk Marauders got back on the winning track with an 80-53 victory over Gowanda on Thursday in CCAA Division 1 boys high school basketball action.
"It was a good game for him," Dunkirk coach Jerome Moss said of Lockett. "He really stepped up and did a nice job in the post and did a nice job putting the ball in the basket for us."
After being outscored 186-40 in a two-game stretch against McKinley (105-22) and Frontier (81-18), Moss was impressed with how his team responded Thursday.
"Sometimes it can break your spirits when you lose two games like that," Moss said. "They were anxious and it showed. It showed me the guys were able to put those games behind them and go out and play basketball. They played hard and the way we want to play. I was very proud of them for that fact. They could have tanked it in and stopped believing in themselves and they didn't do that. That's a sign of a good team."
Along with Lockett's 29 points, Alex Crossan scored 18, Michael Bess added 14 points including four treys and Marquel Ruiz added 10 points. Lockett and Crossan each had six boards and Ruiz dished out four assists.
"Tonight was a game we wanted to go out and play well," Moss said. "We were able to play together and put some points on the board. We moved the ball well and cut down on the turnovers."
The Marauders jumped out to a 21-10 first-quarter lead and held a 42-26 halftime edge. In the third quarter, the visitors played solid defense in limiting the Panthers to just seven points to extend the lead 62-33.
"We talked about not losing focus," Moss said of the third quarter. "Sometimes when you have a lead, you come out flat. We didn't want to do that. I stressed that and they bought into that. I was very proud to see they responded that way."
Jordan Young led the Panthers with 13 points while Carter Benton scored 12. The duo combined for five treys in a losing effort.
Dunkirk returns to league action Monday when it hosts Southwestern.
