Varsity boys edged out in Merino, Sedgwick County games

    In the final week of basketball before a long Christmas vacation, Holyoke’s varsity boys fell to Merino, Haxtun and Sedgwick County.
    Competition came down to the final moments Dec. 12 in the 46-44 game against Merino and Dec. 16 in the 40-36 game against Sedgwick County. On Dec. 15, Haxtun took an early lead for a 62-41 victory over the Dragons.
    
Holyoke 44, Merino 46
    Playing in Merino on Dec. 12, Holyoke stayed in the game until the bitter end. Merino overtook the Dragons in the fourth quarter for a 46-44 win. Coach Scott Dille summarized, “A game like this comes down to a little thing here or there.”
    Slaten Burris got his team going with a two-point shot and a free throw early in the game. Andy Dominguez posted a couple of 3s, and the Dragons held a modest 10-7 lead after the first quarter.
    In the second quarter, Holyoke kept the points coming from the field, and Tate Dille rounded out their half with two shots from the foul line. They narrowly outscored Merino in the second quarter and maintained a four-point lead at the half.
    Mason King and Burris kept Holyoke going as the only scorers in the third quarter. Defensively, Holyoke began to let their lead slip, as Merino narrowed the gap. In the fourth quarter, Merino took advantage of a few Dragon mistakes and scored 19 points, pulling ahead for a narrow 46-44 victory.
    After maintaining the lead for the majority of the game, Dille said that overall, the team made a step forward but needs to work on finishing a game like that. Communication on the defensive end is something they’ll be working on to improve their game.
    Dominguez was the high scorer with 16 points, including two 3-pointers and two of three free throws, and led with three assists. Tate Dille led the team with 13 rebounds and 6 blocks, as well as scoring 10 points, including one 3-pointer and three of four free throws.
    From the foul line, Holyoke shot 62 percent as a team, while Merino only made 53 percent of their free throws.

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