The Friday SCS Lakers U14s faced a harsh reality check against the Phoenix Flames Firestorm, suffering a demoralising 62-25 defeat that dropped their record to 1-1. Entering the game as defending champions, the Lakers were already facing an uphill battle without key starters Chris Woueman and Sean Malveda. However, the psychological weight of facing a "stacked" Phoenix squad—built specifically to dethrone the champs—proved too heavy, and the team struggled to maintain their composure and morale from the opening tip.

 

As Phoenix Flames took an early lead, the Lakers’ spirit noticeably wavered. Instead of the resilience usually associated with the champions, heads dropped early as the team felt the impact of their missing stars and the overwhelming strength of the opposition. Lans was the lone bright spot in an otherwise flat offensive performance, trying to carry the team on his back with 17 points on 8-19 shooting. He battled to create scoring opportunities, dropping 10 points in the first half, but he lacked the necessary support as the collective energy on the court faded.

 

The second half saw the game slip further away as the team's morale crumbled under the pressure of a 12-point Phoenix scoring run. Contributions from the bench were sparse, though Blake Prunster managed 3 points and Austin Matthews added a late bucket. Muse and Rajiv B logged minutes, but the defensive intensity and offensive flow were virtually nonexistent as the team seemed to accept the result long before the final buzzer sounded.

 

Ultimately, this was a game where the Lakers were beaten not just on the scoreboard, but mentally. The 37-point margin reflected a team that lost its belief early against a motivated challenger. This loss serves as a stark wake-up call for the defending champions: talent alone won't repeat a title run without the heart and fight to match it.