McClancy grows as losses pile up

Don Kent isn't judging his team by wins and losses in the early part of their schedule. After graduating four starters, including two of the borough's top talents, the McClancy coach is looking for improvement, any kind of improvement, growth that suggests the Crusaders are listening and learning.
At one end of the spectrum, he was happy with what he saw Friday night, when McClancy lost to Bishop Ford in Brooklyn, 81-68, their fifth consecutive setback. Trailing throughout by double digits, the Crusaders nonetheless hung tough, cutting an 18-point fourth quarter deficit to 10 on a pair of occasions.
&#8220We're plugging away,” said Kent, pointing to the absence of 6-foot-4 center Stephen Jennings (strep throat) and reserve guard Justin Farnun (broken finger) as even more of a hindrance. &#8220The positive is we don't quit. The kids have fortitude.”
But, as will be the case with an inexperienced team - and with guard Daniel Farray the lone returning starter, they're exactly that - the Crusaders (1-6) failed to execute their game plan against the speedy and athletic Falcons. The idea was to limit Bishop Ford's lethal transition game, to force them to execute their half court offense.
Early turnovers negated that approach and put McClancy in a 40-22 halftime hole. Consequently, when Farray and Kareem Daise found their rhythm in the second half, combining for 15 points in the third quarter, they couldn't make up much ground. After each made basket, the Crusaders pressed, only to see the Falcons whip past them for slam dunks and alley oops. Eion Lewis led the Falcons with 18 points and Quraan Davis added 14.
&#8220I think our guys got a little tired,” said Farray, who scored 23 points.
&#8220We're getting better each game,” Kent said, &#8220but unfortunately our record is 1-6. We were hit hard by graduation, and we're raw. We're trying to put the pieces together.”
McClancy is far different from the team that advanced all the way to the CHSAA Class A semifinals last season, narrowly falling to the eventual city champions, Mount St. Michael. Their star guard, Stephen Wood, is seeing minutes for Duquesne in the Atlantic 10, and their 6-foot-8 center, Nyika Williams, is at top-ranked Notre Dame Prep.
&#8220It's a whole team now, so we're going to have little growing pains,” Farray said.
It's been frustrating, the lead guard admitted, not having the lethal outside shooting of Wood or the inside dominance of Williams to lean on. But there is talent, specifically in Daise (game-high 25 points), an athletic 6-foot-1 slasher, and when dynamic scorer Keith Hamilton, a Holy Cross transfer, becomes eligible January 27th, he should only help.
&#8220I'm hoping by the middle of the season we'll be able to get back to that level,” Farray said, referring to last March. &#8220We've had tough loss after tough loss, but we've been battling. We're real hungry for a win. We're much better than when we first started.”