The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“We just need to make sure we’re getting better every practice and every game”
By Than Acuff
It was a tall order for sure.
After just six practices with a young team, the Crested Butte Titans boys’ basketball team started off their season on the road against stout 3A program Salida. For starters, Crested Butte did make it a game, but the Salida Spartans proved too much for the Titans pulling away over the course of the game to hand the Titans a 62-27 loss.
With four new starters taking the court for Crested Butte and a couple of freshmen and sophomores coming in off the bench, they battled through turnovers and the simmering shooting of the Spartans to keep them within reach for the opening quarter. Owen Pugh had an early steal to set up Tyus Fischer for the first bucket of the game and then scored again off a steal from Isaac Jennings, but the Spartans proved dangerous from the perimeter knocking down a series of three-pointers to go up 14-4 to start. John Mitchell drained a three-pointer from the corner to open the second quarter to pull closer and for a brief moment, the Titans were going toe-to-toe with the Spartans.
“I think the younger kids didn’t let the bright lights get to them,” says coach Mike Bacani. “We battled early and kept it close.”
Salida then went on a 7-0 run to build some space before Mitchell hit another three-pointer. Beck Kurak, Owen Pugh and Bennett Crabtree would all kit free throws during the second quarter, but Salida generated additional points off steals and open court play to pull ahead 30-13 by halftime.
The Titans were dealt a blow in the first minute of the third quarter when Jennings picked up his fourth foul and had to sit. While Pugh and Crabtree did score additional points for the Titans, the Spartans continued to open up the game as their simmering shooting hands started to get hot building a 42-20 lead by the start of the fourth quarter.
“We were getting a lot of the same good looks they were getting,” says Bacani. “They just made the shots, and we didn’t.”
Salida’s top shooter continued to reign from deep in the fourth quarter proving nearly automatic from behind the arc to continue building Salida’s lead. Bacani mixed some things up in the fourth quarter to get some reps in game situations and Fischer, Crabtree and Pugh all found points amongst Salida’s attack, but the Spartans ultimately proved too much for the Titans winning 62-27. Crabtree led the team with 10 points while Mitchell and Fischer both scored six each.
“Our defense was great for about 80% of the game,” says Bacani. “We just need it to be great for more than that.”
While a big loss, Bacani assures it is by no means a time to panic for the Titans.
“This is game one of 23 this season,” says Bacani. “We don’t need to play our best, just set the baseline. We just need to make sure we’re getting better every practice and every game.”
Crested Butte has that opportunity this week as they have three practices before they host Cotopaxi on Saturday, December 6 at 6 p.m.
“We have something to work on for the next three days,” says Bacani. “We haven’t beat Cotopaxi in a few years so we’re due.”
