The Fort Calhoun High School boys basketball team scored a single third-period bucket Tuesday night at Conestoga.
Adam Elofson made a putback on Chase Premer's miss with just 57 seconds left in the quarter.
Even with the scoring drought, though, coach TJ O'Connor's Pioneers (1-2 overall) picked up a convincing, 37-22 victory — their first of the season.
How?
“Defense,” Elofson said. “Defense is what got it done.”
While FCHS scored just two points during the third period, it held the hometown Cougars to the same total and just six during the second half altogether.
“Just guarding together,” Elofson said when asked how the Pioneers defended so well. “Switching when needed. Playing together.”
The junior guard was Fort Calhoun's top offensive weapon at Conestoga, too, producing 14 points total. He had 10 during the first half as the visitors built a 20-16 lead and scored his last bucket at 28-18 during the fourth period.
After just a single score in the third, the Pioneers notched 16 points across the final 8 minutes of game time overall. In addition to Elofson's bucket, Blake Welchert, Dylan Keyser, Kade Foy, Eli Tinkham and Chase Premer all scored down the stretch.
“We didn't do anything different,” Elofson said. “We were just playing the ball around. Getting open shots, moving and setting each other up for success.”
In addition to his 14 points, Foy finished with FCHS' lone 3-point make and seven points overall. Keyser notched six, too.
To continue to improve, though, Elofson said the Pioneers will need to stick together.
“Get better every day,” he said, offering a strategy for success. “Doing what we're capable of.”
The guard's team was scheduled to compete Thursday at Douglas County West and next plays Tuesday against Yutan. Calhoun's first home game against the Chieftains tips off at, approximately, 7:30 p.m.
FCHS BASKETBALL LINE SCORE
Tuesday
Fort Calhoun 37, Conestoga 22
FCHS (1-2) 10 10 2 16 — 37
CHS (0-2) 5 11 2 4 — 22
Scoring: FCHS — Adam Elofson 14, Kade Foy 7, Dylan Keyser 6, Eli Tinkham 4, Blake Welchert 4, Chase Premer 2.
CHS — Cole Merwald 8, Logan Lutt 6, Andy Lamoureux 4, Jude Keene 3, Mason Merwald 1.
