Exira-EHK held to just 10 first half points in 53-46 loss to Glidden-Ralston
By Drew Herron - AJ/NT Sports / Feb. 8, 2014
ELK HORN – Playing from behind can and usually does change
the way a team goes about its business.
That certainly was the case Friday night in Elk Horn as
Exira-EHK fumbled through the opening half with uninspired play that would come
back to haunt them.
Despite out-performing its guests over the final 16 minutes,
and trying nobly to turn the tide after what might have been the least
productive half of play this year, Exira-EHK simply could not catch
Glidden-Ralston.
The Wildcats left town with a 53-46 victory that notches a
Rolling Valley Conference series sweep over the Spartans.
“You just can’t dig that deep a hole,” Spartans head coach
Doug Newton said afterwards. “It’s one thing to get back even with them, it’s
another thing to have enough left in the tank to take the lead.”
Exira-EHK struggled mightily out of the gate, scoring just
four points in the first quarter and six in the second to trail 25-10 at the
break.
Both sides ran the court in up-tempo fashion, but neither
side was particularly adept at finishing. That was especially true for
Exira-EHK, who missed countless high-percentage shots and lay-ups in what could
best be described as a discouraging first half of work.
“If you get a lead, those shots fall,” coach Newton says.
“The basket gets a little bigger, and then everyone gets into the game. When
you’re behind, everyone gets nervous and nobody wants to take a shot. But with
a lead, the guys will take their turn, and the confidence starts building.”
EEHK struggled against the Wildcats’ defensive pressure
early and turned the ball over 16 times before the half.
“That’s hard to overcome, when you give the ball away that
many times,” coach Newton says. “It’s that many more times when you aren’t
allowed to set something up and run your offense.”
The Spartans slumped into the locker room at the halftime
break, but what emerged at the start of the third quarter was quite a different
story.
EEHK’s coaching staff challenged the team in the locker
room, questioned the team’s heart, and threatened to make sweeping personnel
changes should such lackluster play continue.
The Spartans got the message, and made a game of it in the
second half.
“We told the guys to play the game, not the score,” coach
Newton says.
Steadily, Exira-EHK chipped away at G-R, and the deficit was
cut in half (32-25) when Drew Peppers hit a jumpshot with 1:35 left in the
third quarter. After outscoring the Wildcats 15-9 in the frame, EEHK trimmed
the spread down to five points early in the fourth.
Glidden-Ralston became saddled with foul trouble, and
Exira-EHK made hay from the free throw line. Exira-EHK was already in the bonus
before it committed its first foul of the second half with 5:51 remaining.
G-R’s high-pressure defense turned from asset to liability, and
it allowed the Spartans to creep back into the game.
“That’s the way they play, they come at you, and they don’t
really care what the fouls are,” coach Newton says. “We felt it was important
that we got to the line and were able to score points without the clock
ticking.”
Spartans’ junior Jake Paulsen, who proved to be the lone
bright spot in the first half with his effective scoring in the low block,
continued to make it look easy in the second half. But when Paulsen rolled his
ankle with 5:16 remaining and had to leave the game, it took the wind out of
the Spartans’ sails. It might have been the final straw for a team fighting
against the current.
Paulsen had 14 points already, but when he exited the game,
Peppers was forced back into action with four fouls and plenty of clock
remaining. He lasted 64 seconds before fouling out, placing the team’s top two
scorers on the bench the rest of the night.
Exira-EHK kept pace the rest of the way, but the comeback
had stalled.
Three players finished in double digit scoring figures for
EEHK, with Paulsen leading the way at 14. Peppers finished with 12, and Brady
Hansen chipped in 10.
The loss drops Exira-EHK’s record to 4-15 on the season,
with two games remaining before the District Tournament arrives.
Up next is Monday’s game at Adair-Casey.
“We need to work on our fundamentals and play closer
attention to detail,” coach Newton says. “The fundamentals are huge for us
right now.”
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