Huskies down Bears, 52-28

HIGHLAND — Offensive woes doomed the English Valleys boys basketball team on the road this past Friday, Jan. 3, as the Bears converted just 26 percent of their field goal attempts in a matchup with Highland, losing 52-28.

The shots weren’t falling early — or often — for Caleb Lewis’ club. Their Southeast Iowa Super Conference opponent featured a lengthy starting lineup, which was highlighted by 6-foot-8-inch Zack Lasek, making life tough on the Bears.

Highland used their length and ball pressure to jump ahead 9-2 midway through the first quarter. A Hayden Irmen floater made it 15-4 with just 38 seconds left in the frame, only EV’s second basket of the quarter. The Bears faced a 17-4 deficit after one. It was a tough outing for EV, but it’s something they can learn from.

“They were a good defensive team. We have to give them credit more than anything,” Lewis said. “I just think we have to get a little more confidence back offensively. I think we were confident in ourselves as a team, especially defensively, but sometimes offensively we’re doubting ourselves. We just have to get it back.”

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