The Boys’ Basketball Team lost on Nov. 25, to the #1 ranked team in class 4A, Cretin Derham-Hall. The final score of the game was 71-54.

The game was closer than the score would indicate. The boys came out in the first half and matched the Raiders with their play, and at times were out-playing them. Going into the second half, the Spartans trailed the Raiders 30-26.

Coming out of halftime the Raiders went on a 26-10 run to put them 56-36 with about 9 minutes remaining in the game. However, the Raiders committed 5 early fouls in the second half, putting the Spartan boys in the bonus with about ten minutes. The Raiders were able to restrain from fouling for the remainder of the half and gave the Spartans few chances to capitalize on the bonus. The Spartans responded with an 11-2 run of their own, bringing the deficit down to 11 points.

The Raiders’ shooters could not be stopped. CDH Senior Joe Rosga had thirty points, leading all scorers, with most of them coming from behind the three point line. CDH Senior Sam Neumann had twenty points, also with most of his points being three pointers. These three pointers and capitalization on the chances at the free throw line led the Raiders on a 13-7 run to close out the game. The run was also helped by solid defense from the Raiders. They created many turnovers and got out onto the fastbreak.

Assistant Coach Jim McVeety said, “We need to rebound, and we need to take care of the ball.”

The Raiders’ length was too much; they created turnovers and outrebounded the Spartans.

Senior Abdulsalam Osman said, “The effort was there, we just need to fix the little things, then we’ll be right there with them.”

Junior Dalante Peyton led SPA with 18 points, coming for the most part on pull up jumpers from outside the lane.

Junior Ryan Peacock said, “It was a tough test, but we competed with them [CDH], and I was really proud of the team.”

Osman echoed this and said, “We showed that we’re not worse than them.”

This is the Spartans’ first loss of the young season, putting their record at 2-1.

Their next game is Nov. 29 at Minneapolis Roosevelt at 3:45.

This is the first installment of the series on the Spartan Boys Basketball team by Staff Writer Breandan Gibbons. He will be following “The Road to State,” tracing our state-competing teams from last year as they make their way in the new IMAC Conference.