Steamboat Pilot & Today

For a Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball team looking to get back on track, there might be nothing better than a game against Battle Mountain.

Coming off two straight league losses, Steamboat coach Luke DeWolfe said he's confident the Sailors can get things going again when they travel to play the 3-18 Huskies at 7:30 p.m. today.

"I think the last one was a tough one for us," DeWolfe said about Tuesday's 41-38 loss to Moffat County. "But we've got to move on. It will be good to get back to playing (today). That's the way it goes sometimes. But we had a good practice" Wednesday.

Steamboat (14-7 overall, 11-2 in league) beat Battle Mountain, 46-23, earlier this year, holding the Huskies to just 14 percent shooting from the field.

DeWolfe said the Sailors again will have to rely on their defense while trying to get back into a rhythm on offense.

"For us, we've been talking about it all week, that the games all are championship games from here on out," DeWolfe said. "These games are for championships. We need to start playing that way."

The Colorado High School Activities Association will release the Class 4A state tournament bracket late Sunday. DeWolfe said he doesn't expect to get a bye in the first round, but he said Steamboat still has a chance to play an opening-round home game.

Regardless, DeWolfe said the focus is on today and getting the Sailors back playing like they were in the middle of the season.

"That's the main thing for us," he said. "We need to be doing the things we need to do. We'll take some things from those losses, and they'll make us better down the stretch."

Girls to close out season

The Steamboat Springs girls basketball team enters today's game focused on picking up another win in a season full of positives. The Sailors play at 6 p.m. at Battle Mountain.

"It's one of those games where you walk into and your mindset as a player can't be to take it for granted," coach John Ameen said. "We have to walk in and play like it's anyone else.

Steamboat (6-15 overall, 3-10 in league) easily beat Battle Mountain, 47-27, earlier this year behind 13 points from Colleen King.

Ameen said he's hoping to use the game as a starting point for offseason workouts and summer camps.

"I think this whole season was about catapulting this program," Ameen said. "Of course we want to end on a good note, but I think they all know how far they've come. The three years that I've been here, this is definitely the most positive season."

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229

or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com