The Arlington boys basketball team lost at Yutan on Tuesday despite a first-half lead as large as 13 points.
After giving up 17 first-period points, the Chieftains (2-1 overall) made a defensive adjustment and held the Eagles (0-3) to just 18 the rest of the way during a 47-35 ballgame.
Six-foot-6 sophomore Trent Koger led AHS in defeat, scoring a career-high 24 points with three made 3-pointers. He scored 10 points during the opening quarter and pushed the Eagles' advantage to 20-7 early during the second with a make from behind the arc.
Arlington coach Tyler Spitser credited his team's early offensive success to ball movement.
“We stress all of the time, the more times it gets side-to-side, shots are going to open up and the defense will break down,” he said.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, Yutan — which was led by Nolan Timm's 26 points — found a way to slow their production.
“Their adjustment to the 1-3-1 (zone defense) caused us issues,” Spitser said. “We got lackadaisical, not trying to attack. We were just playing not to lose instead of playing to keep a lead and keep winning.”
AHS still led 25-21 at halftime, but saw its advantage evaporate early during the third period. Koger and Desmond Cole each contributed three points during the 8-minute stretch, but the Chieftains scored 17. The home team led 38-31 going into the fourth period and won it 9-4, too.
Spitser said the Eagles would refocus Wednesday — well before practice even started.
“We talked in the locker room tonight. We're winning everything tomorrow,” the coach said. “We're going to win the school day. We're going to win first period tomorrow. We're going to be the first ones in class. We're going to be the first ones to second period and we're going to be the first ones in practice.”
The day-long effort was a practice in consistency and the ability to follow through.
“We're going to win everything we do tomorrow,” Spitser said. “And we don't have any opponents other than ourselves.”
