CC falls in season opener at Algona on Saturday

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL: ALGONA 64, CHARLES CITY 47

CC falls in season opener at Algona on Saturday

Up and down kind of game shows strengths, weaknesses

A young and inexperienced Charles City team had their first taste of action in a 64-47 loss to Algona on Saturday.

Head coach Todd Forsyth said there’s plenty of season left to figure out where the team has to go from here.

It was an up and down and then back up again kind of game for the Comets, Forsyth said.

“I thought the first five minutes of the game, we played outstanding defense,” Forsyth said. “We had high energy, trapping guys, playing really well.”

But once the game settled in, so did some confusion and lack of experience for the Comets.

The biggest issue was one Forsyth had anticipated, but wasn’t quite ready for.

“They threw press and zone defenses at us and we just weren’t quite ready for those,” Forsyth said. “We really struggled in the second quarter, regained some energy in the third and finished well.”

With that, Forsyth said the Comets’ biggest challenge facing them just one game into the season is awareness and decision making.

Charles City will need to “value the ball” more, Forsyth said, if they want to continue making progress. Turnovers hurt the Comets and they gave up too many transition points.

One player who stood out to Forsyth was 6-foot-4 sophomore Cade Hemesath.

“This was a good starting point for us to see where we’re at,” Forsyth said about the first game of the season. “We’re still learning; trying to figure out what combinations work and what personnel to use.”

The Comets have a big week coming up with three games slated.

Charles City travels to Clear Lake tonight at 7:30 p.m., then back at Charles City for a game against Crestwood at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11.

The Comets will wrap up the week on Dec. 12 with a game against Saint Ansgar at home beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Staff report