The Boys Varsity Basketball team beat Providence 72-48 in their first game in the new IMAC. Juniors Dalante Peyton led all scorers with a career high 32 points and Kent Hanson dropped in 20. Peyton and Hanson have combined for 105 points in the last two games and the team has scored a total of 158 points as well. In the first half, Peyton was hotter than hot from behind the three point arc, going 8 of 10 in the first half which accounted for 24 of his 26 first half points. The rest of the team was also hot in the half, sophomore Emerson Egly was even able to hit a three, and the team put in 46 points in the half, the team’s second most points in a half this season. However, in the second half, Providence picked up their defensive game and was able to keep Peyton to 6 points for the rest of the game. They were able to shut Peyton down using double teams and pressure defense, this lead to other players being open and junior Kent Hanson being able to go off and score most of his 20 points.

vs. Spectrum High School

Spartan Varsity Boys end losing streak with win against Spectrum

After the game, Peyton said that key to the win was, “Everyone was trying to find the open shooter, and everybody’s shots were dropping,” and so even in the second half when the Providence defense got more aggressive the Spartan offense was able to keep rolling. When the team plays like they did on Tuesday they will be tough to beat when elimination games roll around, and they can be one of the most fun to watch teams in the state. The Spartan’s next game is this Friday at Breck at 7:00—the second game of their IMAC conference schedule.

This is installment #3 on the Spartan Boys Varsity team of Staff Writer Breandan Gibbons’ stories on “The Road to State,” tracing our state-competing teams from last year as they make their way in the new IMAC Conference.  You can also read his stories on Girls Hockey.