Broncos begin league games with an upset over Liberty

After competing in two nonleague games, the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos went on the road for their first league match up on Friday. The Broncos returned home with a victory over Liberty for the third consecutive time, before hosting Colfax on Saturday night.

The Broncos began their week at Tri-Cities Prep on Dec. 7 for a nonleague game. TCP earned a 55-36 win against the Broncos, and the game provided Head Coach Dustan Arlt with insight on areas the team could improve on.

The Broncos started strong against TCP, and Arlt said even though TCP continued to increase their lead, the Broncos played with determination and remained aggressive throughout the game. TCP had eight seniors on their team, and the depth of their team surpassed the young Broncos squad, Arlt said.

Arlt said the Broncos managed to keep the score within eight points until the fourth quarter, when TCP had a strong shooting quarter and pulled ahead to win the game.

TCP made it nearly impossible for the Broncos to keep pace in the final minutes of the game, Arlt explained, especially with making six consecutive shots. TCP shot 9 of 14 in the fourth quarter, with nine points coming from three-point shots.

The Broncos had a tough shooting night, going 12 for 40 during the game. Arlt said the team had multiple opportunities to take the lead early in the game, but the Broncos could not get their shots to fall.

Turnovers continued to be an issue for the Broncos, who gave up possession 21 times during the game. Arlt said the team is focusing on improving at taking care of the ball.

Arlt said overall he was pleased to see the young team continue to work hard and take shots, even though the game was not going in their favor. The Broncos were able to hold TCP to seven offense rebounds and force 13 turnovers.

The Broncos held TCP to 35 points in the first three quarters, and Arlt said the Broncos’ zone defense proved effective.

David Ziebell led the team in scoring with 10 points and also helped bring down multiple rebounds for the Broncos. Patrick Bartz and Camden Smith had six points each for the team, and Austin Thompson scored four.

The Broncos traveled to Spangle to face Liberty on Dec. 9 and earned the first league win of the season. The game remained competitive between the two teams, but the Broncos managed to win the game by a slight margin: 46-44.

Arlt said the win proved to be a pleasant surprise for the team, as Liberty is ranked high in the league. The loss of starting athlete Chase Burnham due to injury also gave the Broncos an advantage during the league match up.

Liberty always proves to be a tough place to play, Arlt said, and with an experienced varsity team, the Broncos had their work cut out for them. Early in the first quarter, the Broncos struggled defensively to stop the Lancers offensive attack, and the Broncos quickly trailed 10-1.

Arlt said a couple of big plays by Smith, Ziebell and Spencer Gering attributed to the Broncos gaining momentum and slowly narrowing the scoring gap. The Broncos hit four 3-pointers, and Bryce Kelly converted a three-point basket into a four-point play after a foul.

The Broncos found themselves in foul trouble again, and Arlt said the Lancers used it to gain back a substantial lead.

Arlt said the third quarter proved to be the difference of the ball game as the Broncos outscored Liberty. The Broncos remained focused and determined to remain competitive, and Arlt said he was proud of the team’s efforts, especially after the slow start in the game.

Amidst turnovers and fouls in the last minute of the game, the Broncos were able to hold onto their scoring advantage and earn the league victory. Arlt said the Broncos played with confidence and he was proud of the young team for showing determination on the court.

Arlt said Liberty played a strong defensive game and forced 22 turnovers from the Broncos. Among the points of success for LRS, Arlt said the Broncos were able to force 19 turnovers.

Ziebell led the team in scoring with 12 points, followed by Kelly with 11. Gering posted eight points for the Broncos, and Thompson and Bartz each scored seven.

The Broncos hosted their first home game of the season on Dec. 10 against the Colfax Bulldogs, and the match up resulted in the team’s first league loss of the season. The Bulldogs played a consistent game, showing their experience and maturity over the Broncos, and Colfax won the game 57-34.

Arlt said the Broncos played well in the first half, but Colfax’s press proved to be detrimental to the team’s success. After going into halftime with a 21-24 score, Colfax pulled even further ahead in the next two quarters, outscoring the Broncos 33-13.

While the Bulldogs were the stronger defensive team, Arlt said missed shots and turnovers continued to hurt the Broncos. Arlt added while the press proved difficult to break, it provided the Broncos with practice and he looks forward to seeing improvement in the press break the next time the two teams meet.

Smith led the team in scoring with 10 points, followed by Kelly with eight. Gering scored six points for the team, and Ziebell and Easton Nelson ended the night with four points.

Arlt said turnovers remained an issue in the Colfax game, and the Broncos have to reduce turnovers if they want to remain competitive. The Broncos are averaging 21 turnovers a game, and Arlt said in order to win competitive match ups, they have to reduce turnovers to 10-12 a game.

The upcoming week hosts multiple balanced league games for the Broncos, as they face a young Reardan and Tekoa-Rosalia team. The Broncos return home on Dec. 17 to face Asotin at 4:30 p.m., and Arlt said it will be the toughest game of the week, as Asotin recently defeated Colfax in league competition.