The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
First home games of the season this weekend
by Than Acuff
Chutes and ladders, rollercoaster, make whatever comparison you want when it comes to the Crested Butte Titans girls basketball team and their 2016 season. Granted, they are winless, so it’s hard to find the high points of the rollercoaster ride. Rather, those highs lie in the details as the young team continues to make strides each week.
Problem is, a team that continues its rebuilding process is going to take some serious lumps along the way when they face league powerhouses, who are anything but sympathetic when it comes to competition.
Such was the case this past weekend as the Titan girls hit the road to face the Center Vikings on Friday and then returned to the hard court to play the overpowering Sanford Indians on Saturday.
The Titans last played on December 18 and coach Mike Moran used the extensive break to continue working on the basics with his inexperienced team.
“We worked really hard over the break, worked on shooting and continued working on fundamentals,” says Moran.
In addition, the team members looked for some divine support as they headed to the San Luis Valley, stopping by the oldest church in Colorado and then making a stop at the Jack Dempsey Hall of Fame, hoping that the Lord above and the Manassa Mauler might give them a push in the right direction.
They took the court Friday, January 8 against Center and did as they always do—started out strong. They traded baskets with the Vikings throughout the opening quarter, mixing in solid defense with solid shooting to keep the game in check, finishing the first quarter down just 8-6.
But the Titans’ shallow bench and inexperience soon took their toll as Center took control of the game in the second quarter and didn’t let up, handing the Titans a 58-14 loss.
“We play some really good quarters but we’re just not very deep,” says Moran. “Teams start wearing us down and if you don’t have a bench, it’s hard to compete for four quarters.”
The Titans continued to hold their heads high but ran into a buzz saw on Saturday against the Sanford Indians. The Titans were handcuffed by Sanford’s stifling man-to-man defense and could not hold the bigger girls off the boards as Sanford scored on numerous second chances throughout the game to take down Crested Butte 64-9.
“We were just overwhelmed,” says Moran. “We’re not scoring and we can’t handle the pressure on the ball. All of the good teams put on the pressure and if you can’t handle it, it’s going to be a long game.”
The game did not come without its compliments and another glimmer of hope. While the Titans were battered, just like Dempsey, they never gave up, working hard until the final whistle and when Sanford switched to a zone defense in the second half, the Titans did manage to execute their offense. Furthermore, Moran continues to call on his younger players to step into the fire and get game experience, no matter what the situation.
“I played five freshmen in both games, trying to get them better and gain some confidence,” says Moran. “We’ll continue to battle and scrap. We’ll keep on keepin’ on.”
The Titans will host their first home games of the season this weekend as they face Telluride on Friday, January 15 at 5:30 p.m. and then Cripple Creek on Saturday, January 16 at 2:30 p.m.
“This is the weekend I expect to be successful. We’re definitely getting better,” says Moran. “I’m never giving up on these girls. I’ll keep at it until we get something going.”
