The Sweet Home boys basketball team faced two strong opponents last week, falling to St. Helens 62-44 on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and Madras 61-56 on Friday, Jan. 10, in a pair of home games.
Tuesday’s game with St. Helens was a rematch, following their earlier 62-44 loss to the Lions in the Astoria tournament during Christmas break.
This time the Huskies maintained a solid position through three quarters, keeping the score close and challenging their opponent on both ends of the court. However, the fourth quarter proved to be the turning point.
“We had the lead at halftime and were down two, I think, going into the fourth,” said Coach Drew Emmert. “But we ran out of gas in the fourth. They hit shots, and we didn’t respond. The game got away from us mid-fourth.”
On Friday, Sweet Home faced eighth-ranked Madras. The Huskies battled throughout the game, staying within striking distance and creating opportunities to shift the momentum in their favor.
In the final moments, a technical on Madras provided hope for the hosts, but missed free throws and a missed shot under the basket for the Huskies gave the visitors the win.
“Friday, we played Madras, who is ranked in the top 10 in the state.
“We played extremely tough,” Emmert said. “We missed shots at the basket, which would have made it a one-point game with 20 seconds left. I was proud of the way we played.”
Senior guard Bradyn Johnson was a consistent offensive force for the Huskies, contributing 20 points against St. Helens and 17 points against Madras. His performances highlighted the potential within Sweet Home’s lineup as they move deeper into the season.
This week the Huskies are playing Tuesday at Siuslaw, then host Bend on Friday before moving into their Oregon West Conference schedule Tuesday, Jan. 21.