Steers close out year with Bridgeport Christmas Classic Holiday Tournament

The Graham Steers closed out their 2021 with a two-day slate of games at the Bridgeport Christmas Classic Holiday Tournament. Following a pair of losses to Aubrey and Bridgeport Dec. 27, the Steers were defeated by 1A No. 3 Graford and Boyd. The Steers were without seniors Lawson Wenninger and Ben Williams for both days of the tournament.

Graford 52, Steers 22

After some rescheduling to avoid district and other schedule conflicts, the Steers were paired with Graford following Tuesday’s pool play. The Steers’ offense remained stagnant throughout the game as the team struggled with the Jackrabbits’ defense. The Steers were held to 15.6% shooting for the game, making a total of five field goals during the game.

While the Jackrabbits shot poorly, particularly from behind the arc, they did hold a 45-24 rebounding advantage over the Steers. The Jackrabbits’ 20 offensive rebounds led to 13 second-chance points. It was the defense that led the offense for the Jackrabbits, who scored 23 points on 21 Steers turnovers.

The Steers struggled in the paint, giving up 24 points in the paint in addition to the rebounding struggles.

For the rest of the story, see the Jan. 5 edition of The Graham Leader.