NICEVILLE — Crestview High School’s boys basketball team has to find a way to stop the bleeding before Friday’s District 2-6A game at Choctawhatchee.
Judging from the way the Bulldogs have played the last two weeks that might be easier said than done.
Two weeks ago the Bulldogs sported a 10-1 record. Things started to fall apart in the Go Southern Beach Blowout starting a trend that has seen the Bulldogs lose five of their last six games to fall to 11-6 on the year.
Friday’s game at Okaloosa County rival Niceville was the latest in the line of missteps
The Eagles opened the game with back-to-back baskets by Kameron Parker and Jeffery Toney on the way to a coast-to-coast 66-49 win.
Niceville (11-7) won the old fashion way with solid defense and balanced scoring.
In something you won’t see every night, four Niceville players shared team scoring honors. Toney, Mitch Morken, Trey Diggs and Anthony Litscher each had 14 points.
Crestview’s Rusty Moorer was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points, but 14 of those points game in the fourth quarter after the Eagles had control of the game.
“We couldn’t hit any baskets,” Bulldog Coach George Stakley said. “In the second quarter, I looked in the (scorer’s) book and we had all free throws. You can’t win any games when you can’t hit baskets.
“And we have to keep our composure. We can’t let when bad things happen to keep making things worse for ourselves. We just have to use this game as a learning experience.”
Niceville led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter. Things would have been worse if Marquis McClain hadn’t scored for the Bulldogs with 14 seconds left in the quarter.
Niceville took control of the game in the second period outscoring the Bulldogs 16-8. All of Crestview’s points came on free throws. Litscher and Diggs paced the Eagles in the second quarter as Litscher scored seven points and Diggs six points.
The second half belonged to Niceville as a frustrated Crestview squad never found it’s groove. The Bulldogs were hit with three technical fouls in the second half. Two of the technical fouls were called on Andrew Adkins and led to his ejection from the game.
Morken took advantage of the extra free throws hitting 5-of-6 to push the Niceville lead to 18 points with 5:45 left in the game and end any hopes Crestview had of mounting a comeback.
Moorer was joined in double figures for Crestview by Adkins, who had 11 points and Purcell with 10 points.
NICEVILLE 66, CRESTVIEW 49
Crestview 11 8 10 20 – 49
Niceville 13 16 16 21 – 66
CRESTVIEW (49)
Marquis McClain 6, Rusty Moorer 20, Andrew Adkins 11, Marcus Purcell 10, Tyrese Seals 2. Totals 11 2 21-25 49.
NICEVILLE (66)
Kameron Parker 2, Mitch Morken 14, Kevin Robinson 3, Trey Diggs 14, Jeffery Toney 14, Anthony Litscher 14, Stacey Jones 3, Will West 2. Totals 15 6 18-30 66.
Crestview-Niceville boys basketball box
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Niceville adds to Crestview's woes (PHOTOS)