The Ram boys came within two points of salvaging a win from lackluster playing against the 4A Boone Toreadors in Boone Thursday, but instead finished on the shorter end of a 60-56 score.
The Rams’ first score, a 3-pointer by Trey Hinote, didn’t come until three minutes had clicked off the clock. During the last three minutes of the quarter another Hinote tres put the Rams up 12-9, but the Toreadors scored five unanswered points and the quarter ended with the Rams behind 14-12.
The Toreadors dominated the second quarter, taking advantage of several Ram turnovers with fast layups. The score was tied at 16 early in the quarter but Boone put on a 13-point run to take a 29-16 lead with 2:48 to play. The Rams scored nine points before the half ended, while the Toreadors scored six more. The score at halftime was 37-25.
Unofficially, the Rams turned over the ball 12 times in the first half, more times than in most entire games. They were whistled for more fouls, too, sending Boone to the free throw line 14 times. Boone players made 11 of those shots.
The intermission didn’t spark the Rams. Lance Hughes and Wade Adcock put on an 8-point run midway through the quarter but the deficit was still eight points at 41-33. The score at the end of three quarters was 48-40.
The Rams got to work in the fourth quarter, moving the ball better and cutting down on turnovers. Carter Morton made a 3-point shot to make it a two possession game, 56-52, with 2:30 to play. With 41 seconds remaining on the clock and a 58-52 score Hinote made two free throws, followed by a basket by Hughes, putting the score at 58-56 with three seconds to play. The Rams fouled, hoping for missed free throws and the ball, but both free throws were good and the final score was 60-56.
A highlight of the Rams’ performance was their shooting from the foul line. For the game they made 16 of 18 free throws for 89 percent, well ahead of their season average of 72 percent.
For the game, the Rams shot at 40 percent from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range. The Toreadors shot at 49 percent from the floor but only 13 percent from 3-point range. They made 15 of 24 free throws for 63 percent.
Adcock led the Rams in scoring with 18 points including one tres and seven of seven free throws. He also led in rebounds with eight. Hinote made two 3-point shots, both in the first quarter, and four of four throws for 10 points. Hughes also scored 10 points, all of them as 2-point baskets. He did not make it to the charity stripe. Carter Morton scored eight points, Joe Towers scored six, Ben Bravard made a 3-point shot in the second quarter, and Jordan Patterson scored one point.
The loss puts the Rams at 6-2 on the season with another non-conference game to play before the Christmas break. The Rams host the Perry Blue Jays Friday. There will be no girls games that evening.
The girls scored a season low in their 41-10 loss to the Class 4A ninth-rated Toreadors.
The Rams were held scoreless until Izzy Bravard scored with 1:03 to play in the first quarter. The Toreadors had scored the first 15 points of the game. The score at the end of the first quarter was 19-2.
Samantha Hardaway scored six points, the Rams’ only for the second quarter. The score at halftime was 32-8. Bravard put up two in the third quarter and Caytlyn Adamson sored two points in the fourth quarter. The last 5:25 of the game was played with a continuous clock.
The Rams shot at 14 percent from the floor and at 16 percent from the free throw line.
They committed 24 turnovers to the Toreadors’ 10.
The Rams are now 3-7 overall while the Toreadors are 7-1.
