The Reds fell short against the University Bulldogs on Wednesday, Feb. 24 with a final score of 46-62. So far this season, the Reds have had a hard time gaining energy and executing against tough teams.The leading scorers for the Reds were Walker Martin (23) with 19 points, Jaden Stone (22) with seven points and Jordan Sidwell (23) with five points and a 100% field goal average. A hard start for the Reds put them in a deep hole after the first quarter. Martin said, “It’s super hard to come back from a low-scoring game because it’s hard to rally the team back together.” Leading the Reds in rebounds was Martin again with seven, then Stone with four, and Zac Grable (23) with four. 

It is never fun to lose a tough game, let alone if it’s against a rival and at home. On the bright side, Scott Grable (21) scored his 1000th point in his high school career. S. Grable said, “ …” S. Grable has been a key player for the Reds as he has been loyal to the basketball program since he was a freshman. Also, having his dad as his head coach for all four years has been a blessing as he has been able to watch Scott grow as a player underneath his coaching. Scott also has two brothers, Zac Grable and Will Grable (23) playing on the court with him. The twins said, “We are super proud of our brother. He is a great leader and is always leading by example. We are so glad that we have gotten to play with our brother for the past two years and we hope that we finish out the season with a bang.” Strong leaders are never easy to come by and S. Grable is a great example of showing a “We over Me” mentality. Z. Grable said, “I am super proud of Scott. He has been working super hard and he deserves it.” 

Some players like Sidwell and Ben Richter (22) are great examples of being small but mighty. The two juniors are selfless and bring great feisty energy to the basketball court. Richter said, “Wednesday’s game didn’t go as planned. We struggled on the offensive side and our shots wouldn’t drop. But honestly I am proud of the guys for not playing for the scoreboard. Coach always talks about not feeling sorry for ourselves and to play for pride.” Having a positive outlook on tough games is a hard thing to get a grasp of and Richter sets a great example of how to take the high road. Leadership can come in many shapes and sizes and the Reds show a great selection of different leaders. Richter said, “As we move forward into the next game against Liberty Commons, we want to move the ball and work together as a team to get a solid team win.” Sidwell is a great addition to the Reds as well because he is very selfless and a great utility player. Sidwell said, “We’ve gone through some struggles the past few games after starting the season off so well against Highland. Wednesday was a little rough, we got out of our groove and didn’t make the shots that we should have.” Coach Dean Grable also made the executive decision to pull up Cole Lockey (23) as a new varsity player. Lockey should add some positive height underneath the hoop.

Reflecting on the University game, most would say it was an inaccurate representation of what the boys can really do. Coming together as a team will be crucial for the boys as they  enter into the playoff season.