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Pretzels salt Bucs
My buddy Wayne, Harlem’s #1 fan, and I were headed to the car after a disappointing 65-58 loss to Freeport as the obviously well-coached and athletically deeper Bucs went flat in the fourth quarter in a game marred by mitigating circumstances.
Of course, whoever loses always has excuses. Google Jim Brown on that for sobriety’s sake.
Contending the mitigating circumstances yet confessing “homers” have never really lost games but had them stolen by everyone other than the other team showing up and deserving victory, I recalled my daddy’s observation, “If you’re winning big, show some class and shut up. If you’re losing big, show some humility and common sense and shut up.”
Truly, it’s kind of like the last election.
People who gloat and people who whine look childish and part of our baptismal promises is to provide an example of Someone better for the children who are watching us.
So, the Bucs deserved to lose on Friday; though they are still favorites to repeat as regional champions when post-season play begins on Monday, Feb. 27. They haven’t lost much starting and bench strength from last year’s champions and you won’t find better coaching than that provided by Head Coach Aaron Pearson and top assistant Nate Lister.
Despite losing to the overachieving Pretzels led by juniors Cade Budenz and Myterrion Carter, who scored 16 points apiece after beating them on two previous occasions this year, the Bucs are the only team except for Performance Enhancing Demographics (PED)-fueled to beat the entitled Hononegah Indians and showed glimpses of why Freeport or anybody else won’t want to face the Bucs after conference action.
Senior Nate Horton can blow by anybody and must have flubber in his Jordans.
While seniors Austin Revolinski and Will Morris usually carry the offensive load, Horton is an ESPN highlight film and showed it on Friday with dazzling inside and outside moves to lead all scorers with 26 points.
Knowledgeable spectators know the rugged Revolinski is being targeted by opponents and officials as they test his patience and deportment in every game.
Noting the tendency to sour grapes by fans, there were so many mind-numbing phantom commissions and obvious omissions that even Harlem’s finest fan couldn’t stop shaking his head in bewilderment.
Before fouling out, Revolinski still scored eight points and kept his cool.
The always calm, controlled, and capable Morris, who should be begged by recruiters to suit up for them next year in football or basketball as a leader by example, exemplary sportsmanship, and as a player with an almost unlimited ceiling, had 10 points followed by seniors Xavier Dent with six points and Austin Brockmann with four. Juniors Shawn Dean and Phil Kolk chipped in with four points apiece.
The Bucs final two games in the NIC-10 before Regional action started by hosting East on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
