Clash Between Top Two in 3A Basketball

By : Noah Capelli

On Friday, The Bronc basketball team hosted their biggest game of the season vs the number one ranked, Lovell Bulldogs. Cody came into the game holding a respectful 12-4 record and ranked number two, while the Bulldogs were 17-2. Last time these two teams saw each other, Lovell won 38-33 on their home court. The Broncs came into this game with revenge on their minds, and they certainly have to feel good about themselves for the way they played this time around. The action started at the very beginning of the game where Maddax Ball had a few quick buckets in the paint, but Lovell battled right back with Owen Walker and Mathew Newman scoring from under the net and beyond the arc. After going down by six points in the second quarter, the Broncs battled back and quickly took a commanding eleven point lead in the third quarter that they held onto for the remainder of the game.

It was another double-digit scoring night for multiple Broncs. Jaxon Hazel led the team with 22 points, most of which came in crunch time at the end of the game. Ball added 13 points and played a key role in the offense’s scoring. Grady McCarten was his usual sensational self, putting up 17 points. Cody completely flipped the script from last time they played Lovell and came away with an impressive 60-48 victory. Although there’s a lot to be happy about for the Broncs, it isn’t all rainbows and sunshine in the Sweitzer gym. In a Valentine’s Day filled with heartbreak for many, senior Trevor Spomer suffered a foot injury in the win that will keep him out for some time. Spomer becomes the third senior on the team that Cody has lost, as Chase Hatch and Joe Arizmendy are yet to step onto the court this season. When I asked Grady McCarten about the impact that Spomer’s injury will have on the team, he said “It will hurt the team, but it’s just a next man up mentality.” The Broncs improve their record to 13-4 and will take the court again this Friday vs Pinedale.