Miners experience peaks and valleys

HEM sees steps forwards and backwards in trio of games

A valley in the Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) Miner team was hit this week when the boys played the Midwest Oilers on January 31 in a makeup game.

Head coach Cliff Jones said the Oilers played stronger than expected, but more importantly,he felt the team had taken a step backward.

"This season it has never been about a win or loss record, it has been setting goals, achieving them and then setting the bar higher for the next game," Jones said. "If it was only about a win/loss record being how we measured our season, we would fail miserably. We have to gauge our success on how much the players grow as people and players." 

Jones said the team didn't play well and it was a bit disappointing, but it could not be a game which changed the Miner's progress.

"It was probably one of our least successful efforts and I didn't think we played as well as we have in some games past," Jones said. "When it was over, I told the boys to put it behind them and lets go home."

On Friday they faced a very strong Encampment Tiger team in Soto Gym. The Tigers have had a season where they have lost games by one to three points against, arguably, some of the best teams in the state. A coach in Encampment's conference said for a total of 10 points going a different way in five games, the Tigers could be 4-1 in conference play instead of 0-5. 

Jones was pleased Encampment coach Duane Gilbert chose to put in younger players versus his starters. The Encampment coach could have sent in all his starters and potentially making the game extremely one-sided. Jones has seen this happen.

"It made for a better game and gave us a chance to rebound even though we didn't come out on top," Jones said. "It was a game we rebounded on and did some good things which made it easier to forget about Midwest."

The Tigers won 52-36. When the Miners played the Tigers earlier this season, the Tigers won 69-31.

On Saturday, the Rock River Longhorns came to HEM. At the last meeting earlier in the season, the Longhorns won by three points, 49-46.

Jones did have concern about the team being down to five men, with Rayce Ward tweaking his knee in the game against Encampment. Ward is scheduled for surgery on February 8 and will be out for the rest of the season.

"So we are five kids now and that is how we will be for the rest of the season," Jones said. "Going into the game on Saturday knowing this, the team went out there and played really well."

He said the team led in all the quarters of the first half, but Jones was concerned with only five players, one fouling out would change the tempo of the game.

Freshman Cody Priest got three fouls in the 1st quarter.

"We had no subs and he had to learn how to play defense with his feet and not his arms," Jones said. "He did get one more foul late in the game, but he played the entire game. I think he did a good job of figuring it out. You know by all rights he is a kid that should be playing JV basketball and we expect him to play varsity and not just varsity, a full 32 minutes. I am really pleased with his progress and I think he grew a little more on Saturday."

Jones said all year he has preached to the team, free throws were going to win the Miners a game. It happened on Saturday.

"We practice free throws a lot and I have been preaching it all year, and honestly until Saturday, we haven't been in the position that it made a difference," Jones said. "Hayden (Antencio) was 15 out of 16 from the free throw line. A lot of those were in the 4th quarter when Rock River was making their run and trying to catch up."

Jones said lone senior Dylan Romero did a great job making sure it went into Antencio's hands since the sophomore was hot. Jones praised Kyler Proffitt and Jesse Deegan for also making sure it went to Antencio as the Longhorns started fouling.

"He made them and it was my perfect example to the team on how free throws can win a game," Jones said. "It was a good confidence game following our decent game against Encampment."

Jones said he doesn't mention stats because to him, the Miner team this season is about how the players learn resolve and perseverance.

"I like to win as much as the next coach. I hate losing," Jones said. "But small school coaching  is like being in a little boat in the ocean; sometimes you are going to be on top of a wave and sometimes, you'll be on the bottom and be a bucket taking in water. What started for us as a bad week turned into a good week. It is nice to be on top of the wave."

The Miners beat the Longhorns 57-53.

HEM will go to Wheatland on February 8 to face the Wheatland JV team and then to Lingle on Saturday to face the Doggers..

 

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