Edison Lacks Poise in Loss to Marina

There are games in which a team struggles mightily and finds a way to win. There are games in which a team does everything right and doesn’t win.

And then there are games, such as the one Edison played Wednesday while losing to Marina, 54-44, that teams just want to forget.

The cold-shooting Chargers, who made only five field goals in the first three quarters and finished 12 for 41 (29%) for the game, never gave themselves much of a chance at home.

Edison made only one basket in the first quarter and none in the third, and trailed by as much as 18 points before a fourth-quarter flurry made the final score respectable.

Marina (10-11, 3-2), which moved into a first-place tie with Edison in the Sunset League boys’ basketball race, wasn’t all that hot from the field either, making 13 of 37 (35%). But the Vikings more than made up the difference at the free-throw line, making 26 of 38.

“I’m just glad to get the win,” Marina Coach Roger Holmes said. “It was an ugly game, because both teams were physical.”

Edison Coach Corey Kelly, who said afterward that he did not feel his team “played that hard tonight,” could forgive the Chargers for shooting blanks. But he was less forgiving for the loss of poise; three Edison players were assessed technicals for either a rough foul or saying the wrong thing to the officials.

“The technicals really bothered me,” Kelly said. “Along with the six free throws you give them the ball back every time.”

Marina’s Dustin Kaatz, who made two three-pointers and was 13 of 16 from the free-throw line, led all scorers with 25 points. Garrett Golden and Jeff Harrell scored 10 each for Edison.

Wednesday’s victory helped ease what already has been a hard-luck season for Marina. Of their 11 losses, one has come in overtime, two have been in double overtime, and three have been by a combined total of seven points.

“I thought tonight would tell me what kind of team we were,” Holmes said. “I thought [last Friday’s victory over] Esperanza was the first time we played the way I thought we could play, with few turnovers and good shooting.”

The Vikings did not have their “A” game Wednesday. But it was readily apparent it wasn’t needed.