Lawrence (Bud) Pollard isn’t into moral victories. The Thomas Jefferson coach wants to win and he expects to win. He scheduled Christ the King because he felt his players could defeat the nationally ranked Royals.
After Saturday’s 92-81 loss to the two-time CHSAA Class AA city champions, he wasn’t thrilled – but Pollard wasn’t upset either.
Despite graduating 10 seniors, four of them starters, his young and deep team filled with unknowns showed the program is still in good shape. Despite the absence of star senior Thaddeus Hall (out until Dec. 13 because of academic ineligibility), one of the few experienced players on the Orange Wave roster, it gave CK, all it could handle.
“We’re good, we’re better than people think we are,” Pollard said. “We’re good and we’re hungry.”
Jefferson (2-1) controlled the game’s pace in the first half, turning it into a back-and-forth track meet, and led 34-27 at one point. Despite falling behind by as many as 18 points late in the third quarter as the Royals’ potent backcourt of Omar Calhoun, Jon Severe and Isaiah Lewis caught fire, the Orange Wave got within seven midway through the fourth quarter and never went away until the final horn.
Junior Jaquan Lynch enjoyed his finest day yet, scoring 29 points and sinking four 3-pointers. Junior varsity call-ups Jermoine Faison and Rachard Moody were solid as well, scoring 18 and 13 points, respectively, and showing no fear in the lane against the bigger Royals.
“We proved that we got heart, we proved we can play with any team,” Lynch said. “We’re a good team. We have confidence in everybody. If Thaddeus Hall would’ve played, we would’ve won.”
While that is up for debate, the southpaw’s absence was a factor in the game-changing third quarter. With Christ the King (1-0) sitting back in a zone, cutting off penetration lanes, Jefferson went ice cold.
“Thaddeus could’ve shot them out of the zone,” Pollard said. “The zone hurt us a little bit. It slowed the game down. It was definitely to their advantage.”
Still, if anything, Pollard and Lynch said they can take confidence from the loss. So many of the team’s youngsters saw what it’s like to face an elite opponent and didn’t give an inch. Pollard, in fact, doesn’t plan to change the schedule next season either despite losing back-to-back years to Christ the King.
“We’ll get them again next year,” Pollard said. “And I’ll have all my guys back.”