Trail Blazers unable to stop bounce back as Stormers fend off second-half rally

QUINCY — Brad Hoyt knows the yo-yo happens.

“Finding a way to stop the bounce back is what’s critical,” he said.

The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team couldn’t do that Saturday afternoon.

Although Milwaukee Area Technical College led from start to finish in an 82-69 victory at the Student Athletic Center, the Trail Blazers made several spurts offensively to give themselves a chance. Each time, the Stormers snapped the yo-yo back with a bucket or two.

The most critical of those junctures came with five minutes remaining in regulation.

Logan Robbins and Nolan Deitrich sandwiches field goals around a Braylon Diggs free throw to pull JWCC within 71-63. Milwaukee Area’s Jayquan Hickles scored in the post 20 seconds later and kickstarted a 9-0 run that essentially put the game away.

Hoyt said the Trail Blazers found themselves out of position defensively for a moment or two each possession and it led to the Stormers scoring.

“We shouldn’t leave a guy on an island to guard somebody by themselves,” Hoyt said. “That’s not the design of the way this game is meant to be played in my opinion. There were things that ended with a tough matchup around the basket that the three seconds before if we’re in the right spot it doesn’t happen.

“It’s coachspeak, but it’s those detail things that pile on top of each other.”

It didn’t help that the Trail Blazers (5-5) played without two starters. Sophomore guard Joshua Talton and freshman forward Jake Wallingford were both in street clothes while nursing ankle injuries. Although both are expected to return soon, their absence was notable.

It opened the door for Deitrich and Kylen Smith to see their most extensive minutes of the season. Deitrich, the Illini West product, scored eight points and had three steals in 18 minutes off the bench, while Smith had four points and three rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.

Robbins led the Trail Blazers with 16 points, eight rebounds and six steals, while Cachao Gianquinto had 12 points and seven rebounds.

“I think we took a couple steps forward today, but if we want to play with the big boys, we have to do a lot of things better on a regular basis,” Hoyt said.