JEFFERSON Eight straight losses would normally sink a team completely out of the postseason.
One win now gives Chemawa’s boys basketball team new hope.
A 58-52 upset of Jefferson on the road Thursday night kept the Braves’ slim hopes of reaching the PacWest Conference playoffs where a week ago, even a few nights ago, that seemed impossible.
“We’re kind of triaging right now,” Chemawa coach Tyler Robison said. “We have one starter from the beginning of the season.
“What you see on the court at times are kids who should be playing JV and our one starter, and sometimes we play smart basketball and other times we play like we’re not experienced, which we’re not.”
Chemawa improves to 2-7 in the PacWest and 3-12 overall, but still likely needs to win one of its remaining three games to get a spot in the conference playoffs.
Jefferson fell to 5-5 in the PacWest and 7-12 overall.
The Lions started hot as freshman Ahmed Ibrahim, who finished with 30 points, scored the first seven points, but the Braves took a 21-19 lead at halftime.
Chemawa outscored Jefferson 20-7 in the third quarter and was up 48-30 shortly into the fourth quarter.
Of course it helped that while Jefferson was struggling at the field, Chemawa freshman Devontre Beach came off the bench and scored 23 points, including hitting his first 14 free throws and finishing
“We just played our hardest in the season, came here tonight, played our heart out, just came out with the win,” Beach said.
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler
Chemawa 58, Jefferson 52
Chemawa: Devontre Beach 23, Smith 12, Friday 4, Francisco 4, Goode 3, Hance 2, Shike.
Jefferson: Ahmed Ibrahim 30, Eriksen 10, DeSalle 7, Ab. Ibrahim 4, Rodriguez 2, Sepulveda, Adeval.
CHE 9 12 20 17-58
JEF 10 9 7 26-52
3-point goals: Chemawa 3 (Smith, Goode, Beach); Jefferson 6 (Ah. Ibrahim 4, Ab. Ibrahim, DeSalle).