Sports News

Hillsboro’s boys basketball team was reminded last week how intensity can win and lose games.

At home against Thompson last Thursday (Jan. 3), the Burros lost a “big district game,” said coach Elliot Rotvold, “because we did not have the intensity we needed to play four quarters.”

As a result, Thompson “took advantage and won,” Rotvold explained.

The Burros bounced back from their 60-55 loss to Thompson with an exciting 53-50 win over the visiting Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page Spartans on Saturday (Jan. 5).

“We played with much more focus and intensity,” said Rotvold.

The Burros learned a lesson on intensity and being ready to play in the Thompson loss, Rotvold suggested.

“Our league is too good to just show up and beat someone without playing at the top of your game.”

But, he said, “we got great efforts from all our players against Finley-Sharon-Hope-Page.”

The Burros also made a point of defending their home court against the Spartans from Steele County.

“We talked about that after the Thompson game,” Rotvold said. “Now we have to take these positives into the next stretch of games.”

The 4-2 Burros, who played at Central Valley last night, host visiting Moorhead Park Christian tomorrow (Saturday) and Hatton-Northwood Monday night.

Park Christian has another solid basketball team and the Hatton-Northwood Thunder was a preseason pick to win the District 3 race.

Hillsboro led 14-11 in the first quarter against the FSHP Spartans. The score at halftime was Hillsboro 21, FSP 20.

Zach Grothmann had a game-high 14 points. Brian Smelden and Josh Mayo each had 10 points.

“We played a very good defensive game,” Rotvold offered. “And we shot the ball much better.”

The Burros could have won the game comfortably, noted the Burro coach. But six fourth quarter free throws were off the mark, which allowed the Spartans life in the final minutes.

“We can improve on this.”

Against Thompson, the Burros missed eight shots in the paint in the first half.

Focus, again, said Elliot Rotvold.

Trailing 33-21 at the half, the Burros outscored the Tommies 34-27 in the second half. They came within 1 point of Thompson in the final minutes but the rally fell short.

Jamie Horne had 17 points for the Burros. Zach Grothmann added 13.

With the bulk of their 2007-2008 schedule on the January calendar, the Burros are nearing full strength.

Guard Aaron Meyer, a starter last year, is expected back in the lineup this week. The junior had shoulder surgery before the season started.

Billy Otto and Josh Mayo have been playing in place of the left-handed Meyer, one of Rotvold’s stable of perimeter players.