Gators fall at Ocoee 83-62
Sam Merchant pitched in a team-high 24 points to top Island Coast scorers, but it was not enough to overcome 35 turnovers Monday night in an 83-62 loss to Pleasure Ridge Park (Ky.) in the first round of the Ocoee Great 8 Tournament.
Merchant also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go with three assists. He had double-figure help from teammate Quad Jenkins with 13 points, six rebounds.
The Gators (8-6) trailed by 10 points after the first period and eight at halftime, but coach Greg Coleman said they played the team out of Louisville even over the second half.
“If we could get them out of their pressing defense they were just an average half-court team,” Coleman said. “But we couldn’t get them out of it with all of our turnovers.”
The Gators drop into the consolation side of the bracket to face Union City (Tenn.) at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The eight-team tournament continues through Wednesday.