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(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) The Steers’ Nikolas Wankowicz blocks a Breckenridge shot attempt near the rim Monday, Nov. 25 late in the game of Graham’s 49-45 loss to the Buckaroos. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Cooper Wilde brings the ball up the court with a Breckenridge defender nearby Monday, Nov. 25 during the Steers’ 49-45 loss to the Buckaroos. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) The Steers’ Brodie Martin shoots a 3-pointer early in the game Monday, Nov. 25 in Graham’s close 49-45 loss to Breckenridge. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Tyler Allen sets his feet and shoots an open 3-point shot Monday, Nov. 25 during Graham’s game at Breckenridge, which the Steers lost 49-45. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Nikolas Wankowicz begins his free throw shot after getting fouled and earning a trip to the line Monday, Nov. 25 in the Steers’ 49-45 loss at Breckenridge. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Jagger Nees keeps his hands up and the Breckenridge player in front of him while on defense during the Steers’ 49-45 loss to the Buckaroos this past Monday, Nov. 25. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Twin brothers Bryce Martin (2) and Brodie Martin (10) run up the court after getting a defensive stop Monday, Nov. 25 when Graham faced Breckenridge in a 49-45 Steers loss.
Graham’s boys basketball team hit the road to nearby Breckenridge for one final game before the Thanksgiving holiday this week, and although they fought hard to overcome early struggles, the Steers ended up with a 49-45 loss to the Buckaroos.
Graham’s varsity team this year is full of young players, either in terms of their varsity experience or their actual age and year in school. It’s taking time for them to gel and establish the chemistry that will help them win games, which will come with time and repetition.
But despite those challenges, the Steers showed plenty of heart in this game, especially after getting down early on. The Buckaroos led at the end of the first quarter and halftime before Graham pulled ahead midway through the second half. However, the visiting Steers couldn’t hold onto the lead as Breckenridge won it late.
“I thought we did a good job digging ourselves out of a hole. I thought we did a better job of trying to block out and rebound,” head coach Kyle Wood said. “...We had a couple good looks and missed a couple of good looks. We had a couple opportunities in transition, and just the ball didn't go down at that time.”
One of the biggest disparities in the game, and what Wood believes is a big reason for Graham’s loss, was the free throw shooting by both sides. The Steers got in foul trouble often and struggled to defend without fouling, especially near the rim.
Breckenridge earned multiple and-1 opportunities, primarily from their big men down in the key. Overall, the Buckaroos shot 26 free throws in the game and made 18 (69%). On the flip side, the Steers went just 4-of-11 from the line (36%) with two players taking all the shots.
“(The Bucks) were spot on at the free throw line. I would say they probably outscored us 10 to 15 points (14 points) on the free throw line,” Wood said. “Credit to those guys, they did a good job. When we put them in the situation to go knock down free throws, they did so.”
Graham took an early lead thanks to two points from Bryce Martin and a 3-pointer from Tyler Allen on an assist from Cooper Wilde. But the Steers still took some time to get going while Breckenridge jumped ahead to a 13-5 lead.
Nikolas Wankowicz got on the board near the end of the first quarter with two points near the rim, but the Bucks led 13-7 at the end of the first.
The Steers spread the ball around a bit more in the second which helped the offense pick up a bit. Five different players scored points in the frame, and with a little over two minutes left in the half, Graham tied the game at 15-15 on a short 2-pointer from Obed Trejo.
Graham then took a small lead when Brodie Martin scored his first points of the game to make it 17-15. But Breckenridge knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 21-17 halftime lead.
“I thought we took better shot selection than we did Saturday (in a loss at Bowie) and did a better job getting the ball inside,” Wood said.
Outside of Allen’s 3-pointer at the start of the game, the Steers did most of their scoring at the rim or in short to mid-range jump shots.
The shooting picked up a bit in the second half as Martin and Trejo both scored 3-pointers in the third quarter and the team made a few more buckets from inside the arc.
The Steers outscored the Bucks 14-6 in the third quarter to take a 31-27 lead heading into the fourth. At one point in the final frame, Graham held a 36-31 lead after Brodie Martin took the ball the length of the court for a layup.
But the Buckaroos worked their way back, and once the home team had the lead, Graham was forced to foul. In the fourth quarter alone, Breckenridge went 10-of-18 from the free throw line to seal the win.
Brodie Martin and Wankowicz finished the game tied for the team lead with 11 points each. Bryce Martin ended with 9 points, Allen pitched in 7 points, Trejo had 5 points and Jagger Nees had 2 points.
“We're working kinks out trying to find who works well (and) where,” Wood said. “...I think that stuff will come as the season progresses. Late in the game, I thought we did a better job.”
