The Sweet Home boys basketball team faced a tough week, suffering a loss 80-52 to No. 9-ranked North Marion, at home Tuesday, Feb. 18, followed by a 62-35 loss to No. 9-ranked Newport on Friday, Feb. 21.
Despite the losses, the Huskies showed flashes of strong team performances and areas of improvement to build on.
Tuesday’s game against North Marion proved to be a challenge from the start, as the visitors found their rhythm early and never let up. Sweet Home put up a respectable offensive effort, as they trusted their go to weapon on the court, senior Brayden McClure, who; “… delivered an impressive 31-point performance,” Coach Drew Emmert said.
Scoring in a variety of ways, attacking the basket, hitting mid-range shots, and sinking four three-pointers, but Sweet Home struggled on the defensive end to slow down North Marion’s efficient shooting.
“North Marion shot lights-out, and we didn’t do enough to get them out of rhythm,” Emmert said. “We played fine on offense, just couldn’t get stops.”
While the scoreboard did not reflect the effort, Sweet Home showed moments of offensive execution. However, defensive struggles and North Marion’s ability to capitalize on open shots made it difficult for the Huskies to close the gap.
The Huskies (0-9, 3-19 overall) will finish their season Tuesday. Feb. 25, hosting No. 4-ranked Cascade. Game time at 5:30 p.m. will also include a celebration of senior players Josh Aker, Jason Funk and Conner Pace.