Steers basketball holds on for close win over Sweetwater

The final score was a lot closer than anyone would have liked but the Graham Steers pulled out a close 69-66 win Saturday, Nov. 18 against the Sweetwater Mustangs.

But based on how the game started no one could have foreseen the final score being so close, other than perhaps the Mustangs themselves.

Playing in their second official game of the season, the Steers opened up the game on a 9-0 run before the visiting Mustangs finally got a long 3-pointer to fall. But Graham appeared in control the entire first quarter, extending the lead to as much as 18-3 at one point.

Keion Shead and Tyson Weaver led the way for the Steers in the first quarter as both players contributed most of their team’s points in the opening frame. The Steers played a fast style of offense, moving the ball all around the court to find their open shooters.

Meanwhile, Graham’s defense suffocated Sweetwater in the beginning as the Steers pressed and forced multiple Mustangs turnovers which led to points. By the end of the first quarter, Graham led comfortably 23-14.

In the second quarter the Steers continued a steady offensive output both inside and outside the arc. Graham utilized their height inside the paint with Cash Bowen and Shead preventing a lot of looks at the rim from Sweetwater. The Mustangs were forced to put up most of their shots from deep which helped the Steers maintain a solid lead over the visitors.

Coming out of the halftime break, the Mustangs gained confidence and improved their shot-taking while the Steers cooled off offensively. Graham’s defense maintained a high level as Bowen and Weaver recorded steals in the frame while also securing a number of rebounds.

But Sweetwater’s offensive tempo picked up as well and the visitors closed the gap significantly on Graham. A little more than midway through the quarter, Shead knocked down a straightaway 3-pointer to put his team up 44-33. But the Mustangs went on a 10-4 run the rest of the quarter to pull within five points at 48-43 heading into the fourth quarter.

“We've got to figure out how to come out after halftime and play a little bit harder,” head coach Kris Hise said. “...We just got to do a little bit better in that. We can clean up some things, it'll be okay.”

The rest of the game was a dogfight to the end with both teams knocking down big shots and making great plays on the other end. Samuel Rodgers drove under the basket, hit a reverse layup off a beautiful assist from Shead and earned a free throw after getting fouled in the process. The made free throw gave Graham a 53-46 lead early in the frame.

Sweetwater continued to claw its way closer and after a 9-0 run the visiting Mustangs trailed 60-59. Bowen drove down the lane and finished a tough layup with a foul off an assist from Weaver to give Graham some breathing room but the Mustangs answered right back to make it 62-61.

Over the remaining minutes, the Steers earned eight free throws due to Sweetwater’s foul trouble and Graham converted on five of them. With a Weaver 2-point jumper mixed in, the Graham Steers held on to pull out the 69-66 win as the final buzzer sounded.

Weaver led the way for the team as he finished with 21 points followed by Shead with 18 and Rodgers and Bowen each contributing 12 apiece. Bowen earned a double-double as he pulled down 10 rebounds in the game to go along with his 12 points. Weaver came close to a double-double of his own as he finished the game with a team-high nine assists.

“I thought we played hard. We had our runs and they had their runs; they're a good team,” Hise said. “...I thought we competed well today…some of them got a little cleaning up to do but for the most part I’m excited about what the future brings.”