SICILY ISLAND — The No. 24 seed West St. John Rams basketball team competed to the end but took a 60-49 loss against No. 9 seed Sicily Island during a Friday night road game.

Though the season ended prematurely, head coach Alton Joseph is pleased the Rams advanced to the playoffs for the first time in six years.

The boys played well and saw a strong start to the game, exiting the first quarter with a lead before gradually fading over the course of seven third quarter turnovers.

Senior John Holmes led the Rams in scoring with 20 points.

One of two seniors on the team, Holmes averaged 17 points a game this season.

Joseph said the coaching staff tested Holmes’ leadership abilities going into the playoffs and were pleased with the results.

“We challenged him to make sure the guys were on the same page, and he answered that challenge,” Joseph said. “He displayed leadership by bringing the team together.”

Junior Shane Lewis stepped out of his comfort zone and “came out big” against Sicily Island, Joseph said, and the team’s youth gave their best effort.

With nine players returning next season, Joseph is looking forward to a longer playoff run in 2019.

“We’re headed in the right direction,” Joseph said. “This year, the team displayed great teamwork as far as communication on the court. We had a rough start, but we came together throughout the season to finish strong.”

Starting the season with seven consecutive losses and ending with a 9-14 record, Joseph said the Rams remained resilient and saw a positive turnaround.