Once again dropping under the .500 mark, the middle school boys’ basketball team lost 52-38 at Cocoa on Tuesday.

After starting off strong, the boys were down by 4 going into the half, but eventually lost focus and fell behind in the third and fourth quarters.  Coach Derrick Hamilton attributed the loss to a lack of teamwork and players not playing their roles.

“We got out-rebounded, and we were divisive as a team,” Hamilton said. “The guys kept on worrying about what the others were doing, and I kept on telling them worry about your own job and not somebody else’s.”

It’s the team’s almost consistent pattern of an aggressive first half and a blundering second half that has got coach Hamilton concerned.

“It’s almost like a pattern, we come out aggressive, we are only down by four going into the half, but that third quarter is our bugaboo and we just couldn’t follow through,” Hamilton said. “At this point I don’t think we can make the playoffs but I am just hoping we can finish strong.”

The team was led by Lorenzo M. who had 10 points.

“We were led by Lorenzo but Sam [A.] was the best player on the court,” Hamilton said.  “This was his best game of the year, and he has improved all season long.  When he first walked onto the court he could barely catch a basketball and to see him losing weight and learning the game, he has grown so much.”

The ’Cats face Space Coast on Thursday at home.

Editor’s note: Brevard Public Schools policy prohibits the inclusion of middle-schoolers’ last names on district websites.