Byron-Bergen made only four shots from the perimeter the entire first half and fell behind by as many as 18 points before an early fourth quarter rally brought them back to within eight points of their eventual 63-49 loss to visiting Alexander in boys basketball.
Senior guard Rick Hubbard nailed two three-pointers in the first half, senior Kevin Smith hit a runner in the first quarter, and senior Wyatt Sando knocked down a jumper, but the Bees struggled from outside. Senior center Chad Green helped keep them in the game, though, with a first quarter put-back along with two lay-ups with one on a perfectly executed inbounds play. Add in Hubbard’s conversion off a steal and Byron-Bergen trailed by only two points after the first eight minutes.
The Trojans extended their lead to as many as 15 points during the second quarter and led 39-27 at halftime.
The lead became 18 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter when the Bees rallied.
Sando hit a trey and free throw near the end of the stanza and the Bees used a full-court press to start the fourth and converted on four straight trips. Junior Jerrod Amesbury stroked two free throws, junior Nicholas Baubie stole an inbounds pass and converted a lay-up, and junior center Mitchell Gonyea came off the bench to take the ball to the basket for consecutive lay-ups to cut the Alexander lead to eight.
But the rally ran out of steam as the Trojans scored four of the final five field goals in the game to hand the Bees their second loss of the season while holding them to their fewest points.
Green led the Bees with 12 points, Sando had ten, Hubbard eight, Smith five, and senior Bryce Yockel added four. Their next home game is January 8 against Kendall.
