The Malad Dragon basketball team eased back into their schedule after the Holiday break, playing on the road against the Grace Grizzlies.  Although they came out with a strong start, the Dragons couldn’t get their play in gear, giving up their first game of the new year.  

After winning the tip off, Grace was quick to put up the first points on the scoreboard, banking a jumper on the first possession.  The Dragons responded with an offensive push of their own just a few possessions later as they snagged a quick defensive rebound.  Pushing the ball up the court through the Grizzly full court defense, Zack Richardson dribbled up the sideline to the wing where he connected with Ben Peterson as he cut through the key.  Taking two strong steps to the right block, Peterson finished with a lay in over Grace’s tough defense for the Dragon’s first points of the night.

Not long after another defensive stop, Richardson and Carter Carey found themselves bringing the ball through the Grizzly press, passing the ball back and forth to keep the defense moving when Braylen Tripp cut open to the middle of the key.  Carey threw the ball into Tripp as he flashed to the block for another Dragon score.

Settling into their own full court press on Grace’s next trip down the floor, Malad pressured the Grizzlies into another turnover, converting the turnover to two more points as Richardson hit a shot from the short corner to make it 6-2 with six minutes still left in the quarter.

With the momentum beginning to swing in Malad’s favor, Grace called a quick time out, coming back on the court more determined and ready to play. Over the next several minutes of the game, the Grizzlies put up great offensive, scoring possessions as well as big defensive stops to take the lead back over.

Peterson, trying to make the most of the Dragon offense, drove to the basket, missing but was fouled on the shot and sent to the free throw line.  Missing the free throws, Malad managed the rebound and the put back to put them down just one basket.

The Dragons turned to their full court defense to keep the Grizzlies from scoring.  Richardson’s quick hands deflected the ball in th back court where Tripp picked it up, pushing down the floor with a pass to Carey.  Just as fast as he got it, Carey sent the ball down to Baylor Bean in the corner. As the defense kept dropping down with the ball, Bean reversed the ball back to Carey for the quick three pointer to give Malad the lead once again, 11-10.  Malad managed one more scoring possession to end the quarter with a fast break by Peterson, brining the scoreboard count 13-11.

The second quarter started out much like the first as Grace came out firing, putting up points in their first possession.  Malad then followed, likewise putting up two after Peterson caught the ball on the left wing from Richardson, quickly moving around his defender with a reverse pivot to beat him to the hoop to score another two points. 

Malad had many other good offensive opportunities over the second quarter, including a great post up on the right block by Brady Showell that sent him to the free throw line where he sank both shots.  Although the opportunities were there, the Dragons just couldn’t keep up as Grace’s offense and defense dominated the floor and they began to pull ahead as the first half wound down, ending the second quarter with the score of 19-30.   

The Dragons came out in the third quarter with the first possession of ball, converting it to points on the scoreboard after working the ball around the outside with some ups and downs, a save from Ryan Hubbard to keep from a turnover, and Richardson banking in a jumped from above the free throw line.

Despite the quick start to the second half, Grace continued to control the game on both ends of the court.  Putting in some fresh legs and energy partway through the third, Head Coach Zach Beutler hope to recharge his team.  Subbed in players such as Ruger Smith and Timmy Jensen did well to bring new intensity and focus from the bench to the Dragon’s offense and defense.  Running through their play, Smith cut down through the key and back around to the right side just as the ball was reversed from Bean to Showell to Jensen back to hit up Smith for the jumper.  

On another Dragon possession, Bean was fouled on drive down the left lane from the high post.  Getting sent to the free throw line, Bean made his first bonus shot but bounced the second off the rim.  After a battle for possession of the long bounced rebound, Jensen, open on the wing, was passed the ball before he fired it at the basket for another Dragon three pointer.

Malad continued to struggle throughout the second half of the game to both shut down the Grace offense and to find a rhythm in their offense.  The Grizzlies expanded their lead over the last two quarters of the game, putting up a final score of 33-63.

Coach Beutler shared, “We have come back and learn from this game.  We had a few good moments where we competed well but we have to do better to shake off the moments when we get beat so that we can play consistently from play to play and minute to minute and game to game.  Next week we start into our district games and we will really see what we are made of now that we are into the games that REALLY count.”

The Dragons look to play at Aberdeen against the Tigers on Wednesday, January 10th.  They will host the American Falls Beavers on Saturday, January 13th to end the week’s games.