WILMINGTON — Returning to the home court did not seem to benefit the Wilmington boys basketball team Saturday night as the Hurricane lost to Dayton Carroll 54-39 at Fred Summers Court.

It was the third consecutive loss for Wilmington, while the victory enabled the Patriots to even their seasonal record to 3-3.

Despite playing a good first half with the lead switching hands six times, the script ended with the same outcome for the beleaguered Hurricane, now 1-6 overall.

Mikey Brown and Jayceon Kibler each scored 10 points for the Hurricane. Malachi Cumberland added nine points for the Hurricane.

Seven different players scored for the Patriots, led by Zach Perkins with 14 points.

The all too familiar pattern of second half struggles reappeared again, as WHS could generate only 16 points and committed seven third quarter turnovers as Carroll stretched their margin to 14 points. Julius Jackson drilled a long-distance trey at the buzzer to make it a 41-30 game at the third quarter break.

Wilmington was unable to generate any offense in the fourth quarter, outscored 13-9. Jon Custis scored a field goal for WHS to break a three-minute drought midway through the final period.

Hurricane head coach Jaevin Cumberland juggled his starting lineup and it produced instant dividends as Alex Massie buried a trey to open the contest.

Carroll held a 13-12 first quarter lead and they maintained a one-point lead at halftime, 24-23.

Cumberland could only stare at his scorebook and took note of the second half scoring drought.

“Once again, the third quarter … or better put the second half was our downfall,” Cumberland said following the contest.

Wilmington will be off until after Christmas when they participate in a post-Holiday event at Lebanon High School next Thursday and Friday.

WHS will face Bishop Fenwick with a projected start time of 6 p.m. Thursday.

SUMMARY

Dec 22, 2023

@Fred Summers Court

Carroll 54, Wilmington 39

C^13^11^17^13^^54

W^12^11^7^9^^39

(54) DAYTON CARROLL (2fg=3fg-ft-tp). Seymour 4-0-2-10, Kaiser 4-1-2-13, English 0-0-0-0, Dent 0-1-0-3, Memering 1-0-0-2, Perkins 2-2-4-14,Tipps 5-0-0-10, McGlothen 1-0-0-2.

Team Totals: 17-4-8-54.

(39) WILMINGTON (2fg-3fg-ft-tp) Brown 2-0-6-10, Jackson 0-1-0-3, Fickert 1-0-0-2, Platt 0-0-0-0, Cumberland 4-0-1-9, Custis 1-0-0-2, Massie 0-1-0-3. Kibler 1-2-2-10.

Tem Totals 9-4-9-39.