Fort Payne boys still struggling

Fort Payne’s first Class 5A, Area 10 game of the 2013-14 season didn’t go any better than any of the previous eight nonarea games.

Host Southside built a 20-8 lead in the first quarter and went on to a 66-35 victory over Fort Payne in boys high school basketball.

Tyler Mashburn paced the Wildcats (0-9, 0-1) with 11 points. Lucas Bryant added seven.

Southside led 39-22 at halftime and 62-32 after three quarters.

“We’re just reaching to find what we can do successfully,” Fort Payne coach Anthony Reid said. “We kind of played three different defenses trying to see which one was going to make us more successful.

“We’ve tried to simplify things … go back to basics, but we’re still struggling. It’s not just one thing, it’s every phase of the game.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a couple of home games and we’re back in our own gym practicing, maybe we can get it going back in the right direction. It’s still early; if we keep working things will get better for us.”

Fort Payne was scheduled to make it home debut late Monday against Anniston. The Cats have been unable to practice or play in their own gym because a new floor was being installed after the old suffered water damage earlier this year.

The Anniston game was the start of a busy week for Reid’s club, which will travel to Clay-Chalkville on Tuesday and play host to the Wills Valley Shootout on Thursday-Saturday.

Southside had a substantial advantage at the free-throw line, making 15-of-22 shots compared to 2-of-4 for Fort Payne.

Reid said the number of attempts for his team was telling.

“We don’t attack the bucket strong enough and that’s one of the points I’ve really addressed with the kids,” he said. “Right now we’re not a very physical team basketball wise. Not being physical, sometimes you end up with more fouls than the other team. We’re not very aggressive in what we do.”

Fort Payne was guilty of 16 turnovers and forced only nine.  

Saige Vincent scored 15 points for Southside.