Putting screws in the other way would put them into the concrete and make the removal of forms difficult. Thanks for the comment, the job turned out great.
This happened to be a piece of LP siding. Material was a chip board similar to OSB. I cut into 4" strips. Masonite siding works well also and can be a bit more flexible with the same thickness. The LP siding needs relief cuts to bend well. Thanks for watching.