The boys basketball D-team knew they were going to have to work hard to come out on top against their city rival, the Rocky Mountain Lobos. Everyone on the team contributed to the hard fought win on Tuesday, February 9, with 49-44 as the final score.
The first quarter was a definite struggle for the Sabercats, as they could not seem to shut down Rocky’s shooters. Rocky’s defense was strong and forced Fossil to create an abundance of turnovers, allowing for the Lobos to start out with a lead right off of the bat. Rocky led 14-9 at the end of the first quarter and carried their momentum with them.
The second quarter was more promising than the first, especially towards the end, as the Sabercats tied it up 22-22 at halftime. The boys fought their way back into the game by working hard for rebounds and finally shutting down Rocky’s shooters.
After halftime, the Sabercats came back onto the court with a newfound energy. Unfortunately, they seemed to be a little too excited, which resulted in more doltish turnovers and easy buckets for Rocky. Fossil whipped themselves back into shape after a couple of key timeouts and gradually worked their way back into the game once again, but still trailing the Lobos 32-33 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was the most crucial for the Sabercats. They stayed aggressive throughout the whole quarter and attacked the basket frequently. Rocky started to fall apart and also fouled Fossil’s boys often, challenged them on the line. Luckily, the Sabercats did not disappoint in free throw percentages, making six out of the seven shots from the line in the fourth quarter.
Head Coach Mitch Ackelson agrees that the boys brawled their way through the game, saying “the boys came to play and they never quit, so I was very pleased with their performance.” He was very impressed with his team and their persistence to end the game with a win.
Overall, a number of players really stepped up to the plate to lead the team to victory and among them was the team’s two posts, Holdyn Kawcak and Zach Heckman. Both players were aggressively attacking the hoop and shutting down Rocky’s inside game. Kawcak score four free throws in the fourth quarter to help solidify the team’s lead.
Another key player was Hayden Fishburn, who consistently put up several good shots and challenged the Lobos defensively, leading the team in steals. According to Ackelson, “he came off the bench and gave us some really good minutes, but overall everyone played well and it was a good team win”
The boys are preparing for their next game against their other city rival, Fort Collins High School, on Friday, February 12 at 5:30 pm.
