(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Tiger coach Shane Wyandt was none too pleased with the way his team frittered away a nine-point second half lead in a 62-55 loss at Hastings last Friday night.
Tuesday night's non-conference home game with 11th-rated Spring Lake Park provided a similar result but this time Wyandt saw a little light at the end of the tunnel in a 69-65 defeat.
"Against Hastings we crumbled when they made a run," Wyandt said. "Tonight we didn't quit and we came back with a run of our own against a good team.
"The next thing we need to learn is how to close things out. To make the clutch shot, to hit the big free throw or make the good pass when the game is on the line. We made some positive steps but we still need to do more."
The visitors drained six of their game total of 10 three-pointers in the first half but only led by a bucket at intermission 34-32. The Tigers stayed close thanks to a three-man scoring binge by Nick Varner (14 points), Darren Beenken (11) and Alex Chadwick (7) who combined for all of the offense.
The Panthers hit four more three's to open the second half on a 15-6 run that upped their lead to 11 and threatened to blow the game open.
But the Tigers keep pecking away and finally pulled to within three at 64-61 with 1:20 remaining.
"When we look at the tape we are going to see some key turnovers and missed lay-ups that we would like to have back," Wyandt said. "The game was there for the taking."
Alex Chadwick 11 points off the bench
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Beenken and Varner, each averaging 14-plus points over the first three games, finished with 22 and 21 respectively to pace the Tigers. Chadwick, who saw major floor time filling in for the foul-plagued Johnny Dittman, chipped in with with 11.
The contest was the first in a busy week for the Tigers. Thursday night they entertain St. Paul Harding at Tiger Gym and Friday they take on Zimmerman at Target Center.
