The Dragon basketball team split their games over the week, finishing the weekend with a 7–4 season record. Their schedule began with a weeknight road game in Firth on Tuesday, January 6, followed by a Saturday night home matchup against the Declo Hornets.

Tuesday night’s contest against the Cougars was tightly contested from the opening tip. The two teams finished the first quarter tied at 14–14, setting the tone for a physical and evenly matched game. Firth struck first, opening the scoring with a three-pointer just over a minute into the game. Malad answered immediately, with Justin Toone cleaning up a rebound for the Dragons’ first points.

Toone followed with another second-chance basket on the next possession to give Malad an early edge. Moments later, Ruger Smith jumped an inbounds pass for a steal and pushed the ball ahead to Easton Green for a fastbreak layup, extending the Dragons’ lead to 6–3. Malad’s defensive intensity continued to create opportunities, including a forced shot-clock violation that stalled the Cougars’ offense.

The teams traded baskets through much of the quarter, with Malad maintaining a slim lead until Firth briefly pulled ahead by two. Carter Carey quickly erased the deficit with a jump shot from the center of the key. In the final minute of the period, Firth converted from the left block, but Malad responded with defensive pressure of their own. After a missed Malad shot, Ruger pushed the pace on a fast break and drew a foul on a layup attempt, calmly sinking both free throws to tie the game at 14 as the quarter ended.

Malad found its offensive rhythm in the second quarter, outscoring Firth 13–9. Balanced scoring came from several Dragons, including Oak Smith, Carey, Ky Willie, Braun Nalder, and Green, helping Malad take a narrow lead into halftime.

Coming out of the break, Firth steadily chipped away at the deficit, closing the third quarter trailing by just three points. Early in the fourth, the Cougars narrowed the gap to one before Carey knocked down a three-pointer to push the lead back to four. Firth responded immediately with a three of their own, igniting a back-and-forth stretch where the lead changed hands several times.

Midway through the quarter, foul trouble and a handful of defensive breakdowns began to catch up with Malad. Firth capitalized, building a lead the Dragons were unable to overcome. When the final buzzer sounded, Malad fell 57–47.

Carey led the Dragons with 12 points, while Oak Smith added 10 points and Green contributed 7 points, along with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Playmaking and defensive pressure stood out as strengths, with Willie recording a team-high 5 assists and 4 steals, and Ruger adding 3 assists and 2 steals. Toone paced the Dragons on the glass with 6 rebounds.

Head Coach Zach Beutler reflected on the loss, saying, “We led the entire game until about halfway through the fourth. We struggled with foul trouble and had a handful of critical defensive breakdowns, coupled with the ball not dropping for us. Firth returned all but one of their players from last year’s third-place State finish, so it was a good game to measure where we are.”

The Dragons quickly shifted their focus to Saturday night’s home matchup against the Declo Hornets. Knowing Declo’s aggressive style, Malad prepared to exploit opportunities while withstanding the pressure they expected to face.

The opening quarter featured disciplined defense and deliberate offensive execution from both teams. In the closing minutes, Oak Smith hit two clutch three-pointers, and Green added another along with a strong drive through the lane, giving Malad a 20–14 advantage.

Scoring slowed to start the second quarter, with Green breaking the drought more than a minute in by converting two free throws after being fouled on a putback attempt. As the game progressed, Green proved reliable at the line, finishing the night 11-for-12, shooting 92 percent from the stripe.

Malad continued to play with physicality in the second quarter, knocking down perimeter shots, attacking the basket, and crashing the boards for second-chance points. Declo eventually found its footing, trimming an eleven-point deficit to eight, but the Dragons maintained control heading into halftime with a 36–24 lead.

As expected, Declo made adjustments coming out of the break, opening the third quarter with back-to-back baskets to swing momentum. Malad responded with poise, as Green, Oak Smith, and Carey each connected to keep the Dragons in front.

Late in the third quarter, a loose rebound near the three-point line sent six players diving for the ball in a collision of bodies and effort. The play captured the spirit of the game—two teams battling relentlessly for every possession. The intensity carried through the remainder of the contest.

Malad entered the fourth quarter leading 49–43, a margin they largely preserved until the final minutes. With 90 seconds remaining, Declo cut the deficit to two, pairing their offensive surge with tight defensive pressure that made scoring difficult for the Dragons.

Declo’s aggressive approach, however, led to fouls that put Malad at the free throw line. Ruger Smith, Carey, and Green converted critical bonus shots, pushing the lead back to six at 59–53 with 34 seconds left. Declo answered with a forced turnover and a transition three, keeping the pressure on. It wasn’t until a final foul and free throws with 15 seconds remaining that Malad secured the 62–58 victory.

Green led the Dragons with a dominant double-double, finishing with 25 points and 16 rebounds, along with 3 assists and 2 steals. Carey added 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. Oak Smith chipped in 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Ruger Smith contributed 3 assists and a team-high 3 steals.

Coach Beutler praised his team’s progress following the win. “Overall, we’re pleased with the boys. They’re engaged mentally and physically and making progress week to week. They’re extremely unselfish, which continues to make them a tough group to defend. Defensively, they’re doing a good job tightening things up.”

The Dragons will return to action Tuesday, January 13, on the road against Grace before traveling to face Aberdeen and Rich over the weekend.