A stinker. A clunker. A lemon.
No matter what you call it, that’s exactly what South Shore had against Mary Louis on Tuesday at the Bergtraum Holiday Classic. The Vikings lost, 80-46, to a team that was ranked below them (South Shore was No. 5; TMLA No. 6) The Post’s New York City rankings. Coach Anwar Gladden was so exasperated, he pulled his starters midway through the third quarter, because he felt like they gave up.
South Shore (6-1) trailed, 37-24, at the half and were far from being out of the game.
“I thought we could have come back, but not with that effort,” Gladden said.
Mary Louis (4-1) got open shot after open shot and, more often than not, connected. Despite a size advantage for the Vikings, the Hilltoppers dominated the boards and got every loose ball. They played clean and crisp, while South Shore was the exact opposite, showing every bit of the inexperience that is its weakness.
“I don’t feel like they’re a better team,” Vikings sophomore Shelby Powell said. “They just put forth a better effort.”
Both teams were playing for the first time in awhile. South Shore had a 10-day layoff after a win against Mount Vernon, while TMLA went 13 days without a game after the snow two weeks ago mired two potential contests. The young Vikings, with seven freshmen or sophomores, clearly didn’t respond the way the Hilltoppers did.
“We had a long break,” Powell said. “It really showed on the court.”
Jasmine Odom had 10 points and Aliyah Cooley and Taylor Lloyd each had eight points for South Shore. Afterward, Gladden had an hour-long talk with his team. The Vikings’ turnaround is quick – they play Bishop Ford, ranked No. 9 in New York City by The Post, on Wednesday. Gladden said that isn’t a positive.
“In baseball, it’s good thing, not in basketball,” he said of trying to rebound the next day. “You want to practice after a game like this.”
Still, he’s undeterred, chalking up this one to youth, inexperience and the layoff.
“They understand,” Gladden said. “They’re young. They’ll be back.”