Senior center Jackson Miao looks to pass the ball while under pressure in the Cardinals 40-50 loss to the Marshall Phoenix on Jan. 18. Photos by Gavin Li
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If there were any doubts about the strength of the Academic Athletic Association’s Lang division, they were put to rest on Wednesday by Marshall High School.

The Lowell boys’ varsity basketball team (5-1) trailed the entire game in a 40-50 loss to the visiting Phoenix (4-2) yesterday in the Neff gymnasium. The defeat marked the Cardinals’ first AAA loss and moved them into a tie with Galileo for first place in the Neff division.

The Phoenix jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the first quarter, and the Cards were never able to stage a comeback, trailing by at least seven points at every break. The Cardinals shot only 25 percent from the floor, and were consistently flustered by the quick Marshall zonal defense. Junior guard Jonathan Li, who knocked down 11 points, led the team in scoring. Senior forward Avery Nicastro-Aikman added 9 points to the tally.

Despite the outcome of the game, Nicastro-Aikman believes the loss was not a good indication of the team’s full potential. “If we had just made a couple more threes like we usually do, we would’ve been alright,” he said. The team shot 7 for 23 from the three-point range on the night, often opting to continue rotating the ball until there was an open shot from distance.

In contrast to the Cardinal’s mid-range-shooting-heavy approach, the Phoenix made only one three pointer in six attempts, scoring mostly on electric drives into the Lowell paint and tip-ins by the 6-foot-6 big man senior forward Mark Alexander.

The Marshall game is only the beginning of Lang division play for the team, which is looking at a tough mid-season schedule of five consecutive Lang teams, including Mission (5-1) and Lincoln (5-1), who are also in a tie for first place in the division, as well as perennial rival Washington (3-3). Despite the first major bump in the road, the team is not losing confidence as it prepares for the difficult stretch, according to Nicastro-Aikman. “Marshall has been competitive with the other teams in its division, and it could have been a closer game, so hopefully we’ll be able to get some wins in the next few weeks,” he said.

Come support the Cardinals at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at Mission High School as they face off the Mission Bears.