PARK SLOPE, BK- It was a tough day for both the Berkeley Carroll Varsity Women’s and Men’s hoop teams. Both dropped their respective games against battle tested Trevor Day School yesterday in Brooklyn.

For the Lady Lions, it ended a difficult week with a young Trevor Day squad led by eighth grade sensation Lauren Dynes netting a game high 25 in a close win over the Park Slope hosts. Dynes sliced and diced her way through the paint, doing damage. She scored six of her team’s 10 in an up and down first quarter that saw plenty of inconsistent play. Berkeley Carroll fought their way to an 11-10 lead thanks to senior captain Olivia Wilson, who had two buckets en route to a team best 17.

The Lady Lions turned up the heat in the second stanza thanks to inspired play from sophomore forward Liv Saleh. She came off the bench and provided a lift with four points and a pair of nifty assists, including a nice set up for a Wilson finish. Only the play of Dynes (5 in 2nd) kept her team within striking distance. They trailed 23-19 at the break.

If the game was won or lost, it probably took place in the third where first-year coach Sidney Blumstein saw her club struggle offensively. They didn’t make one field goal with their three points coming from the line on a pair of Wilson free throws and one from Saleh. Compounding it were questionable officiating with 18 fouls called. Remarkably nine fouls for each side after a mistake by one referee on a foul call on the visitors that led to a dispute. Perhaps it impacted the many whistles following that left both sides exasperated.

With it called tightly, it worked against Blumstein’s team due to taking away the aggressiveness of Wilson, who picked up her fourth foul before the third expired. Frustration mounted with starters Sarah Paller and Mia Kellman also plagued with four as well. Both stayed in to try to rally their team down the stretch.

After being outscored 10-3 to trail by three, BC continued to struggle with poor execution offensively. Turnovers were a theme with Trevor Day taking advantage of a full court press that resulted in easy buckets from Dynes, who also was aided by teammates Lexi Velaguer (8) and Malina Schmit (7).  Both came through in crunch time when the Lady Lions made a late charge led by Kellman and Wilson. Consecutive transition hoops including a Wilson steal and hoop cut a nine-point deficit to four.

A Kellman three drew them within one, forcing Trevor Day to call for time. But the visitors remained poised thanks to a timely bucket from Velasguer, who made two critical ones. Schmidt salted it away from the line to help the visitors post a four-point win.

In the second match-up, third-year coach Carmine Giovino’s club fell to an experienced Trevor Day group 62-39. However, the 23-point loss wasn’t really an indication of a hotly contested game that saw his Lions claw back from a nine-point first quarter hole to within 21-18 at the half.

They limited top man Will Kronberger to six in the first two quarters by getting him in foul trouble. Kronberger got all six in a 16-7 first that saw Trevor Day exploit their size edge. Shane Pearley netted five of his team best 14 to keep his team within range.

The Lions turned up the D in a strong second period led by senior guard Cole Kitchen, who was aggressive on both ends. Along with subs Mike Andria, Josiah Murrell and Will Reagen, Kitchen had five points on a trey and driving lay-in that got them back in it. In particular, the physical play of Andria and Murrell limited Trevor Day’s effectiveness in the paint. Forcing them to the perimeter, Berkeley Carroll controlled the tempo- outscoring their opponents 11-5 to get within three at intermission.

A quick start to the third saw the Lions tie it up at 23. However, Trevor Day responded by picking up the tempo. A 19-1 run turned the game into a 42-24 advantage. Off a deadly half-court trap, they forced the Lions into multiple turnovers which were easily converted by Eli Frater, who put in most of his lucky 13 in the second half. Cleo Markman also drained a couple from downtown on his way to a team best 14.

Trevor Day placed six different scorers in the boxscore during the third onslaught. It allowed Kronberger to rest before returning to finish with 13 by posting seven in the final 16 minutes.

The Lions never gave up, continuing to work in an 11-point final quarter. Pearley had a couple of nice putbacks and Reagen contributed with seven. Giovino took most of his regulars out, allowing Reagen and a few others to get experience. Though they fell, the return of Joe Longo from an ankle injury should be cause for optimism. He’s a key part of BC, who still only has one loss in the ACIS league. Longo only had a basket but looked alright. His timing will come back, which can only boost the Lions’ championship aspirations.

They’ll need to maintain a high work ethic and consistency. Something captain Adam Kochman always preaches. With Giovino able to sub in and out thanks to a deep bench that also features sophomore Jasper Kitchen (younger brother of Cole), the Lions should be a tough team come February. It could be a very interesting finish.