Savage Heat trump Tigers in home court duel

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs boys basketball team claimed a strong victory against the St. Regis Tigers during their Thursday home game.

The match was close as both teams played a strong game. Both teams quickly surpassed double digits in the first quarter. Hot Springs gained a leg up early and held it until the quarter closed with a score of 18-11.

In the second quarter the Tigers began edging back, but Hot Springs was able to regain the advantage. Both teams made great passes as they moved the ball around the court with Hot Springs especially good at recovering rebounds; this in part allowed them to leap ahead to a strong 20-point lead. The first half closed with a score of 45-21.

The second half saw St. Regis trying to come back, but the Savage Heat were able to slowly increase their lead. The home team eventually regained a strong lead with play near the nets often becoming small battlefields as the players fought for the ball. The third quarter came to a close with a score of 69-35.

The final quarter was the most intense of all; as the clock wound down, the game got more and more aggressive as the players slammed the ball around the court and fought for possession. The Savage Heat were able to halt the St. Regis offense, keeping them to only a few points as their own lead continuously increased. With a final three-point basket for Hot Springs at the buzzer, the game ended with a final score of 80-45 to the Savage Heat.

Head Coach Ricky DePoe said the guys were very focused on their defense during the game and worked to prevent St. Regis from scoring. He felt they needed to work on it, though, since some scores made it through that should have been stopped. The team’s free throws also needed some work.

Overall, though, the coach felt it was a great game for Hot Springs. They played an even game with Trevor Paro and Zach Osborne scoring 16 points; Sam Hoff brought in 18 points, leading the Savage Heat in scores. In all, four members of the team hit double digits in their scoring for the game.

“I’d like to see this kind of scoring all season,” said DePoe. “We’d do really good.”

The game was also a learning experience in terms of the team’s build. As they played, they were able to get most of the players out on the court and DePoe got a fairly good idea of who his top defensive players are. Teams have begun figuring out their placement in the conference, so planning where each player’s strength is for playoffs is becoming important.

During practices this week, the team has been focusing on their defense. DePoe wants to see some more improvement in those areas of the game. While he admitted he was hard on the guys for defense, the coach said he felt that was where they would win big over the rest of the season.