GCHS boys basketball team loses to Richfield as offense sputters
by Mary Rice
contributing writer
Jan 31, 2013 | 1593 views | 0 0 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend | print
05 boys bball
GCHS senior Brett Walker drives toward the basket during Grand’s matchup against the Buckaroos. Walker was voted player of the game against Monticello. Photos by Mary Rice
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Shooting woes plagued the Grand County High School boys basketball team as they lost 68-41 at home against the Richfield Wildcats on Friday, Jan. 25.

“I think we gave it a good effort, but we just didn’t play well,” said head coach Travis Clark. “We didn’t shoot real well. Richfield really did shoot well and they had great defense.”

The Red Devils dropped behind by 10 and tried to press Richfield to get back in the game.

“Unfortunately that wound up backfiring a bit and we wound up being down by 16 or 18,” Clark said.

Koi Cook, who the coach said had “a phenomenal game,” was named Grand County’s player of the game.

“He really helped distribute the ball and had some phenomenal assists,” Clark said, adding that Kaden Risenhoover and Wesley Rodda took a lot of shots but could not get the ball to drop. “I think it was a good effort, though, because they were taking the ball to the basket. That’s something that’s really key for us.”

Richfield jumped out to a 17-11 lead after one quarter and was never threatened after that.

The Red Devils also lost at Monticello to the Buckaroos, 60-49, on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The game was tied 18-18 after the first quarter, with Adam Jenkinson and Dale Thomas each tossing in a pair of three-point shots.

However, the Buckaroos led by eight points at halftime and steadily pulled away througout the second half.

“We played well,” Clark said. “Monticello is a hard place to win and Monticello is a good team, and they played really well. Brett [Walker] was named player of the game. He really competed well, got us seven or eight points, and did really well on the boards.”

Nat Smith, Rodda and Walker each scored for the Red Devils in the final period but it wasn’t enough to overcome Monticello’s lead.

The previous week, on Jan. 15, the Red Devils suffered a heartbreaking region loss to the San Juan Broncos in Blanding. Grand County rallied to lead late in the game, but San Juan came back to win by the score of 67-65.

“We were behind pretty much the whole game, but we came back and actually led by one with about a minute to go,” said Smith, a GCHS junior.

Both teams scored multiple baskets during the game’s wild last minute before San Juan inched ahead at the buzzer.

Jenkinson led the Red Devils with 19 points while Thomas added 15. Cook scored nine points, grabbed eight rebounds and had nine assists.

The Red Devils were scheduled to play at Pinnacle Academy on Wednesday, Jan. 30. After that, Grand’s last three regular season games will be at home, against South Sevier on Saturday, Feb. 2, San Juan on Tuesday, Feb. 5, and Emery on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Play for all varsity games will begin at 7 p.m.
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