The West Holmes boys’ basketball team (0-1, 0-0) traveled to River River (1-1, 0-1) for the first game of the season on Dec. 1, but despite holding a four point lead going into the fourth quarter, the Black Bears were able to come back for a 56-52 win.
The Knights took a 15-9 lead in the first quarter and while they were outscored 15-12 in the second quarter, West Holmes took a 27-24 lead into the locker room at half. They came out strong in the third with a 13-12 advantage, but in the fourth quarter the Black Bears used the three ball to outscore them 20-12 and come from behind for the victory.
Both teams shot 45.9% from the field and West Holmes was 6-for-13 from deep, and River View was 5-for-14 from downtown. River View also took advantage of the 11 turnovers they forced, scoring 16 points off of them. They also had 12 second chance points in the game. West Holmes led 25-19 in boards and 9-6 in assists, but the Black Bears had a 4-3 steal advantage. Each team had a block. Free throws were a factor in the game, as River View made five more despite having less of a percentage (60% to 58.6%.)
"We battled foul trouble the entire game and River View got hot from the outside in the 4th quarter," said Coach Ben Belden, who coached River View last season and is in his first year at West Holmes.
West Holmes was led by Collier Cline, who was 7-for-10 and 2-for-4 from three with 21 points. He had three boards, six assists, a steal and a lock. Sam Spring tallied 15 points, including going 3-for-5 from downtown and 4-for-4 from the foul line. He had four rebounds and two steals. Lynn Cline chipped in with five points, six boards and one assist.
The Knights went 2-21 last year but Belden said the general goal this year is simple: to compete in every game.
“At the end of the day, our major goal is to put new numbers on the boys basketball banner in our gym,” Belden said.
This team has a blend of experience and youth, as the varsity team consists of six seniors and several sophomores who will contribute. Collier Cline, Sprang and Nate Fair are returning letter winners. Kyle Maltarich missed his sophomore and junior year, but has returned for his senior season. Other seniors include Koyer Miller and Wyatt Schlauch, and Lynn Cline and Manna Camacho round out the sophomore presence. He said the weakness is depth, as the seniors are the only upperclassmen. However, they have a strength in balance, with Belden saying any starter can go out and score double digits. The team has multiple players ready to defend the other team’s top player.
Belden said Collier Cline has put in work in the offseason and should be a problem for defenders. This also goes for Sprang, and he can play any position on the court. Fair has size and can score from all three levels, while Maltarich is an incredible athlete and provides an attitude that elevates his teammates. Machado stands at 6’4” and will be a focal point on offense as their biggest player.
“I wasn't the coach here last year, but know that West Holmes was competitive, even if their record didn't show how competitive they truly were,” Belden said. “This year, we will be just as competitive, but I expect a few more bounces to go our way and to capitalize on that competitiveness more.”
This week the Knights face Meadowbrook on Dec. 5 on the road at 7:15 p.m., and then host Madison Comprehensive on Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
