Finishing games key for Peninsula boys hoops in 3A SSC in 2019 season

Sometimes, a win-loss record doesn’t tell the entire story.

It doesn’t reveal the competitiveness of each game. It doesn’t differentiate a blowout win and blowout loss.

In Peninsula’s case, the win-loss record of last year’s team failed to convey a plethora of close games, primarily those that slipped away at the end.

“We were 2-9 in two-possession games or less. That’s over half of our season right there,” said Coach Matt Robles. “All we can do is just learn from it. Learn how to play a complete 32-minute game and learn how to finish games when it comes to crunch time. If we can do that, whatever happens, happens. Let the chips fall where they may.”

And now, with a clean slate and fresh start, the Seahawks basketball team looks to rebound from a 6-14 season, including nine single-digit losses.

They’ll do it how, exactly?

“Worrying about today,” Robles said. “We’re not going to worry about our first game in a couple of weeks, or the district tournament if we’re fortunate enough to get there. We’re just worried about learning from the past and using that an example of what we can get better at.”

Kaleb Lichau is one of the Seahawk seniors hoping to flip the script on past struggles.

Just last week, Lichau signed his National Letter of Intent to play basketball for the Air Force Academy.

But first, he’ll lead a Peninsula squad for one last season alongside friends he’s known for years.

“I’ve played with some of these guys since fourth grade, and I think that we know each other really well,” Lichau said. “It’s a great group of guys and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Though the team is focusing on the present, they’ll certainly want to build on what they did well last season, and apply that success going forward.

Part of that success, in fact, remains in the idea of focusing on each other and not on the opponent.

“We executed really well in those [wins],” Lichau said. “We played fast and we played our type of basketball rather than letting the other team determine what we were going to do.”

And, as Robles mentioned, it’s hard to lose when you’re shooting the ball well.

“When you have those big margins of victory, you shoot the ball well,” Robles said. “We’ll have a chance to shoot the ball well this year. And if we can take care of the ball and not turn it over and have a positive turnover margin, I think we’ll be in a [position] to win some games.”

Not only does Lichau have one more year as a Seahawk, but Robles only has one more year to coach him. When Peninsula named Robles head coach in 2016, Lichau was entering his freshman year.

The current senior class is the first Robles has coached for a full four years.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Robles said. “Every senior class has been great so far. The first one welcomed me with open arms, and the next two have been outstanding. But [coaching this class] is a little different. I’m so excited to experience this season with them. … They’re a special group.”

This story was originally published November 27, 2019 at 6:00 AM.