Unfocused Panthers fall to Carver, loses first home game of season

Charles City's Justin Bradby (left) looks for a way to get a shot over Carver Academy's Rome Hudson (right).

Robb Johnson photo

Charles City’s Panthers were undefeated at home entering Tuesday night’s contest against a visiting Carver Academy Wolverines team that had bested them earlier in the season. For the Panthers, a cold-shooting night from the floor and the inability to get defensive stops snapped their streak at home.

Carver Academy slugged their way to a 64-56 victory over Charles City in front a near-capacity crowd for the much-improved Panthers’ team.

Carver Academy humbled the hosts early one. With defensive pressure forcing the Panthers to shoot from the perimeter, many trips down the floor were one and done.

While the Wolverines didn’t light up the floor, it was Aaron Wilson’s three from the top of the key that handed the visitors their first lead of the night (6-5). Charles City’s De’Rome Chretien answered with one of his own, sparking an 11-2 run that carried over into the second quarter that was capped off with Kameron Johnson’s wing trifecta.

But the hosts hit a brick wall on the offensive end. Carver Academy employed a 2-2-1 full-court press, preventing the Panthers from advancing the ball down the court at a faster pace. From there, the Wolverine’s 2-3 match-up zone forced tough outside jumpers for the hosts. And even when the Panthers were able to get to the rim, the ball caromed off it. Follow-up attempts likewise failed to drop.

And even Charles City got to the free throw line, the ball didn’t drop as the hosts shot a miserable 11 for 23. Meanwhile, Carver Academy’s Darius Johnson lit the hosts up from beyond the arc, finishing with 22 points while his teammate Rome Hudson dominated the paint with 10 points and 20 rebounds.

After the game, Charles City head coach Terrell Brooks took plenty of time in the locker room to deliver a hard, truthful message to his team.

“We are not mentally tough,” he said. “We win the games we are supposed to win, but these are the types of games we should want to win.

“These kids did absolutely nothing that we coached them to do tonight,” Brooks continued. “There was no execution on defense or offense and just tons of selfish basketball.

“It started yesterday at practice when they came out flat and today when we watched film,” the coach added. “There was joking and playing. They have to lock in and be prepared for basketball and tonight, we weren’t.”

Johnson’s 26 led Charles City (11-5) in scoring. Leo Charity finished with 13, Chretien pumped in eight, Justis Crawley tossed in six, Rashad Williams contributed two, and Justin Bradby chipped in with one.