The boys’ basketball team entered the week 7-3 overall and 3-1 in the Metro East Conference (MEC). The first game of the week was against Red Wing (5-7) where they won 67-53. The second game of the week was against MEC leaders Tartan (12-0). The boys fought hard but fell 73-71.
Versus Red Wing
The game against Red Wing was closer than most expected it to be, the jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the Raiders and it clearly frustrated Hastings. The Raiders finally scored to make it 7-2 and quickly, the Wingers extended their lead 13-2. Hastings had enough and started playing Raider basketball. With 11:00 minutes left in the first half Lukas Foss scored the game tying layup. Hastings continued their run and ultimately finished the first half up 36-20
Head Coach Chad Feikema made two time out calls in Red Wings 13-2 run, “We just needed to be more active in terms of getting to the ball a little bit quicker. We know that they have guys that can do catch and shoots well, and the way that they would be able to play in the game with us is that they get clean catch and shoots. Really. our wings in particular got a lot more active with better angles and more active hands.”
Feikema added that the Raiders just need to step up the pace and get the game moving as fast as they like to play. That really shone through during the last part of the first half and the start of the second half before the starters sat down and the bench players took over. 11 Raiders saw the floor and the extra experience is going to be a key part of the development of next season’s starters.
Hastings won the game 67-53 with Matthew Foss leading the way for Hastings with 16 points. Lukas Foss had 12, Brady Hendrickson and Kyan Esterby each had seven points with Jacob Reuter and Marlowe Strain rounding out the top five with six points each.
Versus Tartan
The game against the number one team in the conference was another close game. Tartan expected to run away with the victory and Hastings stepped up big to keep that from happening. The game stayed close with the first half ending with a 43-38 Tartan lead.
Hastings came out of the break with a renewed energy, winning the half 33-30 and they had a chance to tie the game with a buzzer beater that ultimately did not fall. The game ended 73-71 in favor of the Titans.
Lukas Foss led the Raiders with 22 points, Matthew Foss had 15, Esterby 11, Weston Schult 10 and Strain seven.
Up Next
Hastings+ will travel to Mendota Heights to take on the Cadets at St. Thomas Academy on Jan. 23, then on Jan. 28 Mahtomedi comes to town and finally, the boys head back up to Mendota Heights on Jan. 31, this time to Two Rivers. All three games are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tips.