Head coach Luke Beaman and his Bruin boys basketball team hosted the Lakeview Honkers for their third league game of this 2023/24 season Friday night.
Two equally matched teams took the floor Friday night, and from the opening tip-off both teams used their speed and hustle to wrestle moments of control and scoring opportunities as the Bruins took a 7-3 lead midway through the first period led by #13, Tanner Anderson with 6 points for the Bruins. But the frenetic pace was matched by the Honkers, who rallied early to tie the score at 12-12 as the first period concluded.
In the second period, the Bruins shooting slowed as they fought inside the paint for rebounds and inside shots as the Honkers established a 5 point lead half way through the second. The Honkers defense stiffened allowing only two Bruin shooters to score, holding them to just 8 points in the period while scoring 17 going into the half time break.
Now trailing 20-29 to start the third period, the Bruins boys looked to close that gap, pressing early and running to open up three point shot opportunities that senior Kyle Christensen and Tanner Anderson took advantage of as the Bruins scored 7 points while holding the Honkers to just two points early in the third. But two technical fouls against the Bruins helped the Honkers adjust, putting up 9 points in the second half of the third, as both teams hit for 11 points in the period.
The fourth started with the Honkers leading by nine, 31-40, as the Bruins turned up the pace to close the gap with Ethan Orman leading the way with 12 points in the period. And even though the Bruins outscored the Honkers after holding Lakeview to just 10 points in the final period, the late rally was not enough to get the win, falling 48-50 at the final whistle.
The Bruins will be traveling to Medford next Tuesday to challenge the now 3-0 St. Mary’s Crusaders coming off a 47 point win over Rogue River, with tip-off scheduled at 5:30pm.
