The outcome Tuesday wasn’t what Polk County boys basketball coach Josh McEntire wanted. But the effort and defensive pressure the Wolverines displayed were exactly what McEntire hoped to see.
Polk County never found any type of rhythm offensively in its season opener, that and the play of East Henderson’s Malik Alston giving the Eagles a 48-39 win before a sizable crowd at Polk County.
Alston drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to open the game, punctuated a drive into the lane moments later with a resounding dunk and finished with 21 points as East Henderson led from start to finish. Polk County trailed by as much as 15 points in the third period before fighting back to within five at one point in the fourth.
Get PolkSports delivered to your inbox
Sign up for our free newsletter →
“I’m proud of our effort. The effort was there,” McEntire said. “That was early-season basketball, making mistakes offensively and looking out of place offensively.
“If we play defense like that, and don’t give up second chances, we’re going to win some games just giving up 48 points.”
Most of Polk County’s offense came from two sources – senior guard Jamal Wheeler, who scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while also scoring his 1,000th career point, and senior post Wes Mullis, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds and showed signs that he may be a force this season inside for the Wolverines.
Polk County scored the first four points of the second period and trailed 15-13 with 6:36 left in the half, but wouldn’t get another basket until the 4:55 mark of the third period, a Jaymes Wingo free throw the only point in that span. East Henderson outscored Polk 14-1 in those nine minutes-plus to build a 29-14 advantage.
A Wheeler 3-pointer late in the period cut East’s lead to 35-24 entering the final quarter. A Mullis three-point play midway through the fourth pulled Polk to within 40-33, but East scored four unanswered points over the next three minutes to lead 44-33 with 1:37 left. The Wolverines did score six points in the ensuing 46 seconds to make it 44-39 with 51 seconds remaining, but would get no closer.
“I told the kids that if we can bring that effort and intensity, we’ll be fine,” McEntire said. “The offense will come.”
Wingo had four points and Davis Derkach added two to round out the scoring for Polk.
