Warner Robins basketball falls to 0-2 in Screamin’ Demon Invitational with loss to St. Anne-Pacelli

WARNER ROBINS — The Warner Robins Demons (5-4) are in need of some soul searching after another lackluster performance, this time a 53-40 loss to the St. Anne-Pacelli Vikings (8-0).

Here are three observations:

Soul searching

Warner Robins basketball always has high expectations, people have come to expect region championships and deep playoff runs.

That’s not to say that this group can’t achieve those things, we are a mere nine games into the season. That being said, something has got to change on South Davis Drive.

With big names like Trey Bradley and Gabe Jacobs and a cast of solid players, 5-4 is likely not the record many expected from the Demons. Least of all head coach Jamaal Garman.

“I have no idea, we’re trying to figure out [in the locker room]. I just don’t understand or don’t know what the problem could actually be,” Garman said on what the widespread issue with the Demons could be. “We’re asking them, nobody says anything. So we’re throwing whatever in the dark, trying to see if it sticks. It’s just real real frustrating right now.”

“How we’ve been playing and the lack of effort at times, the lack of want to at times. I was expecting more out of this team that I’m just not getting right now. It’s two losses in a row to two real good teams that’ll be Elite Eight, Final Four teams, it’s part of it. I’m thinking that we’re going to be Elite Eight [or] Final Four team too, but we’re just not playing like it right now.”

Trey Bradley carrying the load

Trey Bradley, the only Demon to finish in double digits with 19 points, carried the offensive load for Warner Robins.

Whenever he was able to get a relatively clean look at the basket he got shots to drop. But the Vikings made sure that it was a difficult task to get him the ball.

In a game where Jacobs was missing, St. Anne-Pacelli honed in on Bradley and forced others to try and make plays.

“They were close to him, making it hard for him to catch the ball, making it hard for him to drive past people and all that good stuff,” Garman said. “They did a real good job on the defensive end as far as, defending him…they played zone, that’s a different type of game. But the game plan worked and they got a win in Warner Robins.”

Reaching deeper into the bench

Garman has been reaching deeper into his bench in the last few games. Some of that is out of necessity — Tyler Harris was out for both games in the Screamin’ Demon Invitational, with Jacobs out on Saturday.

There has been some positive results from it as far as revealing who can be contributors later down the line, but the game results haven’t been as positive.

“I need to see [what they can do] because these guys are practicing hard too. So I need to see what they can actually do when the lights are on,” Garman said. “I’ve seen that some of those guys, they’re going to be contributors to us later on as the season gets older. Those guys are gonna be some contributors for us like Rykeem Ashley [and] Trey Dantes, they’re going to be guys that’s going to help us out.”

UP NEXT

The Demons’ next game is going to be on Friday, January 3 at home against Ware County at 7:30 p.m.