Huskies take down tired Comets

The defensive intensity picked up in the second half, and the Cardinal boys? basketball team couldn?t keep pace with Highland, as the Comets suffered a 66-47 loss in the season opener.

The Comets were outscored 24-11 in the third quarter against the Huskies, in a quarter that head coach Jay Olson thought defined the game.

?I think legs caught up to us,? Olson said. ?It?s our first game out, and we aren?t too deep. We only play six guys basically the whole night. In the third quarter they outscored us 12 or 14, and that didn?t help us. Getting back into it, it?s tough for a young group like us.?

The Comets were held without a point for the first four minutes of the ball game, as Highland put up a 9-0 lead, but hung with the Huskies for the rest of the first half, trailing 29-19 at the break.

Senior Sam Pederson put in 11 of his game-high 20 points during that first half, as the Comets shot the ball well.

?With our size, hopefully we can get some good looks,? Olson said. ?I thought we were rushing things. It?s the first varsity game for a couple of these guys. We just want them to relax and shoot the ball like we can. Hopefully we got those jitters out.?

In the second half, Highland turned on the full-court press, forcing Cardinal into turnovers, and sparking a 16-3 run that put Highland on top by 21 points.

After that, Highland was able to hold the Comets at bay the rest of the half, picking up the victory.

?We had 19 turnovers tonight, and we gave up 20 second-chance points according to our stats,? Olson said. ?When you lose by 19 and give up 20 second-chance points, that?s a lot. We just have to do the little things and not turn the ball over.?

The Comets had junior Zack Steele break double figures, scoring 11 points in the contest, while senior Colton Carter scored eight points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

As the Comets prepare for a contest against Van Buren on Friday night, Olson said he hopes the team?s attitude carries over.

?Our keys were to have a good attitude and a good effort,? Olson said. ?That?s the base for what we want to build here. As coaches, we can correct mental and physical errors. If we have good effort and attitude like we did tonight, we?ll be able to work with that.?

Cardinal will host Central Lee on Tuesday. Opening tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.