Coach Quinn Shares Recap Of Last Week’s Varsity Games (01/29/18)
This past week saw our Boys Basketball split games with Clarion-Limestone and Karns City.
First Karns City, Final Score 76-59… but that score may be deceiving. Three Bobcats were in double figures with Cam Craig scoring 18, Austin Hummell and Spencer Miller both putting in 15 points respectively. We were very close to having 5 players in double digits however. Nick Frederick who had returned from injury had 9 and Calvin German added 8 points. Drew Wrhen, Josh Craig, Jake Burns, and Gavin Brinkley also got into the scorer’s book.
We took a commanding lead at halftime 38-19, but the Gremlins would not go quietly into the night! They stormed out of the third quarter score 30 points. The Gremlins were led by #11 Pistorius who dropped 14 points in the quarter to push the score to 55-49… Cats.
Our foul shooting was spectacular in the quarter led by Spencer Miller who was 7-8 from the line. Cal German and Cam Craig were both perfect from the charity stripe. Cal was 4-4 and Cam was 2-2. That put us on the board for 13-14 from the free throw line. Excellent job boys!
(Laura Burford photo) Ian Callen, Ty Burford (back to camera) and Cal German
The C-L game found the Bobcats on the short end of a 52-44 final tally, but the boys gave everything they had in the loss. Our young men did everything they could to limit a high scoring potent offense that averages in the high 70’s per game to just 52 points… but could only manage 44 ourselves. As a team we shot 23% from the floor. We hit every inch of the rim, but the bottom, on several shots, but could not get them to fall through. We played fantastic defense! We rebounded extremely well. Austin Hummell and Spencer Miller both had double digit rebounds in the contest. Austin led the Bobcats with 14 points, followed by the Craig brothers who each had 9.
Reflecting on this loss, at first I was me… loud. However as I woke Saturday morning and spoke to our boys at the DE Sports 6th Grade Tournament, I was amazed at their composure, thoughts of the game as they reflected. Every young man that I spoke to was upset at the loss, but was very encouraged by the fact that we had given a very good defensive team in C-L everything they could handle but just couldn’t find the bottom of the net. What fantastic young men I have the opportunity to coach!
Looking back… the experience Friday night was everything a pure exhibition of basketball skill should be! The C-L gym was packed with fans for both teams! It was loud and exciting! Even though we came up short, I am thankful for that opportunity and very proud of our boys! Coming through the line, shaking hands with the C-L boys, they were spent, exhausted, as our boys were. They gave everything they had, just as our boys did. They were respectful and sportsmanlike, just like ours. To know the character of the boys who compete so hard on both sides is special. Hayden Callen joined his very good friend Cal German at our tournament Saturday morning. His younger brother Jack was playing. But Hayden sat with Cal at the scorer’s table and helped our boys. If that doesn’t speak to the level of class and respect that the boys have for one another, I don’t know what does. Again, I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such an intense and competitive rivalry.
(Thanks to coach Quinn for this article and to Laura Burford for the photo. Keep up the fine work, Cats!!!!)