The Chilton Christian varsity boys basketball team struggled to keep pace with Tuscaloosa Christian and lost 81-45 at home on Dec. 12.

Tuscaloosa’s size in the paint presented a problem for CCA, as they spent the entire game searching for ways to defend that presence down low.

“The big guy down low, we just didn’t have a guy that could matchup with him,” CCA head coach Thomas Lyon said. “We tried fronting him, playing behind him, everything. He’s just a beast and we had no answers.”

According to Lyon, it was probably the best athlete that CCA had seen through the first 11 games of the season.

The Patriots are a youthful team with Logan Littleton the lone senior.

“Everybody looks up to you, and you play a big role,” Littleton said.

Despite being young in many areas, the loss was not indicative of the season that the Patriots have had.

“I know that the score didn’t dictate it, but I like the intensity that they played with on defense,” Lyon said. “It was a lot better energy.”

CCA has made strides so far in the season and has already matched its win total from a year ago with five victories.

“We liked that we’ve moved the ball better and we’ve worked as a team,” Lyon said. “We’ve still got young guys that are learning and having to think through the whole game of where they’re supposed to be and what they’re supposed to do.”

The lack of offensive production was not due to an absence of good looks, as CCA’s ball movement offensively created scoring chances, but the opportunities were just not resulting in points on the scoreboard.

“We got the looks we wanted, but we just didn’t hit them,” Lyon said. “That’s the next phase of the game, and we’ve still got the second half of our season in front of us.”

With the wins coming at a more rapid rate this season, has the program rejuvenated as they look toward a bright future.

“Whenever we win a game, we’re pumped up and ready for the next one,” Littleton said. “Once someone starts hitting their shots, we can really get on fire and feed off of each other.”

The Patriots look to quickly put the one-sided loss behind them, as they look to move on as a team to the next challenge.

CCA hit five shots from beyond the arc on the night with one each from Littleton, Landon Harmon and Joseph Gay.

Thomas Gay led CCA with 16 points, including a pair of three-pointers.