No. 2 Lewis-Palmer boys basketball returns to top form with win over No. 8 Falcon
MONUMENT — Just north of Colorado Springs, the Lewis-Palmer boys basketball team is proving that it is still a team to watch out for.
Friday night’s 82-67 win over No. 8 Falcon was the fourth straight victory for the Class 4A No. 2 Rangers after dropping games last week to Liberty and Palmer Ridge. Lewis-Palmer wasn’t thrown off though and has been playing stellar basketball since.
In the first quarter, Lewis-Palmer (17-2 overall, 9-1 Class 4A PPAC) started the game off with a smooth three pointer from Joel Scott which Falcon’s Noah Martinez quickly match to tie up the game. The Rangers then kicked it into game mode and went on a 8-0 run that gave them the lead that lasted the rest of the night.
“Games like these give us the confidence to play in any game,” LP coach Bill Benton said. “Our guys have been able to attack on the offensive end and be able to step up and knock down key shots.”
Lewis-Palmer’s Matthew Ragsdale had an exceptional night with 26 points and three three-pointers.
“I was getting shots in the offense and I was making them, so I had the confidence to just keep shooting,” said Matthew Ragsdale. “All of the guys played their role tonight and helped us get the win.”
Joel Scott and Carter Kreischer also had a great night, each scoring 18 points to help Lewis-Palmer come away with a league win.
The fourth quarter started with a dunk from Scott, but the Falcons (14-5, 7-3) never gave up and continued to fight. Reece Warren would put up an impressive 26 points and Noah Martinez added 24.
Despite the Falcons coming into this game with a nine-game winning streak, a few missed passes and not connecting with shots proved to be too much to overcome.
“This was a team that was really hard to guard with some good guys and I knew we would have to play well,” Benton said. “We try to hold teams to 50 points a game and obviously we didn’t get that done, but the guys played a good physical game and I’m proud of them.”
With only four games left in the regular season, playoffs are in the back of minds for the Lewis-Palmer players.
“We still have a lot to get better on, but I’m looking forward to keep on improving,” Ragsdale said. “I’m excited and ready for March to come.”
