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Slow start dooms Trojans
Comments 0 | Recommend 0Pueblo East jumps ahead 16-0 before holding off rally in 4th
Coach Harry Knight was hopeful, yet concerned, before Fountain-Fort Carson’s seasonopening game Thursday at the Widefield Holiday Hoop Classic. Turns out, he was right on both counts.
The Pikes Peak No. 8 Trojans were routed early by Pueblo East, showed heart while fighting back but lost 49-27.
“We played East in the championship game here last year, so we knew they were a good team,” Knight said. “The good news is we play again tomorrow.”
The eight-team tournament concludes Saturday, with the championship set for 8 p.m.
Knight realized that his team — which started five sophomores — was untested and unproven. That’s one reason he figures the Trojans may show significant improvement as the season progresses.
Of the 12 players on Fountain-Fort Carson’s roster, there are eight sophomores and a freshman.
“We’re awfully young, and when they miss a shot or two, they get down on themselves,” Knight said. “They get frustrated.”
That was certainly the case in the first period, when Pueblo East started fast with three different players draining 3-pointers while the Trojans struggled at both ends of the floor.
After one period, the Eagles led 16-0. It was 25-5 at halftime, but Fountain-Fort Carson rallied within 35-22 early in the fourth quarter as Alisha Johnson began draining mid-range jumpers and scored 10 of her game-high 16 points in the third period.
Johnson was the only Trojan to make more than one basket. Point guard D’Shara Strange had six steals but failed to score.
“Hopefully, this gives Alisha some confidence,” Knight said. “Everybody knows Strange, who is better than she played tonight. Most of them are sophomores, but they can play basketball. We did a better job in the second half; we picked up our defense and got some confidence. We learned we could play with them.”
Pueblo East (2-0) was led by senior guard Katie Eickelman with 14 points. The Eagles made 4 of 6 3-pointers in the first period but just 2 of 12 thereafter.
The Trojans netted just 12 of 51 shots and 2 of 11 free throws.
CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0250 or sports@gazette.com
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