The Mavericks of the boys 13-15 Washington Youth Basketball League came back from an early deficit to defeat the Lakers, 35-30.

Sloppy play and widespread traveling violations defined the first quarter, as the Mavericks were held to just three points. Both teams had trouble handling the ball and finding open shots.

“I think a long day at school today might have had an effect on my kids, but overall I have to give them credit for sticking in there, putting up with my aggressive tone at times,” said Head Coach James Porter.

Nets’ forward Mykal Copeland played off the coach’s intensity in the paint, grabbing the majority of the defensive rebounds for his team.

Offensively, the Nets had trouble dissecting the Lakers tight and aggressive defense for the majority of the first 20 minutes. The Lakers took the momentum and a 20-15 into the half.

The third quarter told a different story. A rousing halftime speech from Porter motivated his ball club to play tightly knit defense and drive to the basket in the second half.

Led by Kaire Johnson and Chris Norfleet, the Mavericks stormed back with a nine-point run in the third quarter, giving them a delicate double-digit lead.

The Lakers played tough down the stretch, but it as the Mavericks that survived in the end. Johnson ended with six points on the night, while his counterpart, Norfleet, ended with 12.

The Mavericks shoot for two in a row against the Hornets today at 4 p.m. The Lakers face off against the Heat at 3 p.m.