“Intensity” was the word that came from the mouths of both Seabury Academy’s girls and boys basketball coaches Friday night.

Unfortunately for the Seahawks, “lack of” was also part of the equation during a sweep by Elwood.

The Seabury boys’ hold on a one-point lead after the first quarter slipped away in a 56-46 defeat, while the Seabury girls dropped a one-point halftime lead in their 48-36 loss.

“I think we came out a little flat the first two quarters,” Seabury boys coach Matthew Downing Jr. said. “I just don’t think the intensity was there defensively. We just gave up a lot of easy baskets early. But, all in all, we were still ahead at the end of the first quarter. So with that in mind – we can look good at times, and we can look bad at times. I’m just hoping we look good more than we look bad.”

Downing did have Tim Stuart, who played a strong game, constantly penetrating on offense – finishing with 13 points – and getting in on the mix with a team-high seven rebounds.

“As much as I would like to say my individual effort was good, it’s never adamant compared to when you’re not playing well as a team,” Stuart said. “As much as I did, it wasn’t enough to pull out a win. I don’t mind if I finish with two, as long as I’m hitting the boards and getting the ball down, we’ll be good.”

While freshman point guard Ryan Gutierrez led the team in scoring with 14, Scott King – the player Downing wants to get plenty of looks – only had six points.

“I think their full-court pressure bothered us some and made us hurry up and run faster than we wanted to go,” Downing said. “I think the kids did take good shots – once we did get past it. I just think it’s something they’ve got to realize and understand, they may have to pass up a shot and get the ball where we want to go. Even if it’s a good shot, you may have to pass it up to get the ball inside more and expose the defense.”

Elwood 48, Seabury girls 36

For Seabury girls coach Nick Taylor, things hit critical mass in the fourth quarter when the Seahawks were outrebounded, 22-8, and fell victim to a 13-point swing from the end of the first half to the end of the game.

“We just came out in the second half, and we just did not have the intensity,” Taylor said. “And they got to every loose ball and every rebound, and we just couldn’t respond to them. And I was shocked that we came out that way in the second half.

“I thought we’d come out – after having taken the lead back in the second quarter – I thought we’d come out and hang onto that lead and just not let it go, but tonight we just never responded. … We’d turned the ball over, and we just didn’t convert on our shots.”

The strong showing in the first half was powered by Bria Phipps and Melissa Burch.

Phipps had half of Seabury’s 18 points at intermission, but those nine points would be what she finished the night with.

For Burch, it wasn’t just her seven points at half, but her 10 rebounds and five steals that fueled the Seahawks. However, Burch only mustered six points and six rebounds in the second half.

Fellow post player Molly Thurman did most of the scoring in the final two quarters, netting 10 of her 12 points on the night.

“The first half was very solid for us … we were playing right with them,” Taylor said. “We went into halftime with a one-point lead. The first half was great. We really played well in the first, but that second half, we just came out and laid a goose egg.

“I don’t know what I need to do to get into their heads that they need to put two halves together, and it just seems like the last couple of games we’ve just been flat, and we’re just not there. I don’t know whether we’re tired at the end of the season or what it is, but we’ve got to suck it up and pull it together.”