After trading the lead throughout the first half, the fourth grade Netburners’ offense came alive in the second half, defeating the Bobcats 32-20 Saturday at Holcom Park Center.

The Netburners used their lockdown defense and up-tempo offense to distance themselves from the Bobcats.

“I wanted them to work on fundamentals and staying in front of their men,” Netburner head coach Joe Rodriquez said. “We’re still getting used to playing with one another.”

The Netburner offense received huge support from Trenton Clark. Clark’s combination of size, speed and good handling skills caused problems for the Bobcat defense. Clark’s size enabled him to clean up on the boards, and his slashing attack opened up spacing for the rest of his teammates to take advantage of. Clark’s offensive presence was especially felt midway through the third quarter when he connected on three consecutive offensive sets, giving the Netburners some breathing room.

Size matters in the game of basketball, and the Netburners had the luxury of playing two big men: Clark and Taylor Krejci. Krejci’s long reach enabled him to record double-digit totals in rebounds after he came off the bench to lift the Netburner offense. Krejci displayed his soft hands by delicately using the backboard to his advantage on shots around the hoop.

Shifty guard David Allen, who used his speed to cause problems both offensively and defensively for the Netburners, led the Bobcats. Allen pestered the Netburners with his tenacious in-your-face defense, which led to several steals. Allen relied on his speed to rush the ball up court and get the offense set quickly.

Alex Davis left, leaves a team huddle with his eye on the ball. The Netburners and the Bobcats battled it out at Holcom Park Center on Saturday. The Netburners walked away with the win, 32-20.

Phillip Commons opened up the court for the Bobcats, displaying his outside range on a couple of occasions. Commons also used a teardrop runner that forced the Netburners to respect his shot.

But it was the strong play of David Lemon late in the game that sealed the victory for the Netburners. The Netburner point guard slowed the offense to use up some of the clock and set up his big men down low for close range shots. Lemon’s ability to dribble out of danger and limit the number of turnovers gave the Netburners the win.