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Gypsum — Steamboat Springs doesn't light up the scoreboard, but its offense is plenty efficient.

The patient attack on one end and a stifling defense on the other has been an excellent recipe for success for the Sailors this season. With a 63-41 victory against Eagle Valley on Friday night in Gypsum, the Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball team improved to 11-5 overall and a perfect 8-0 in the Western Slope League.

"Steamboat is a really tough matchup," Eagle Valley coach Pat Gabriel said. "They don't turn the ball over. That's a hard thing to do in high school, period. They shot over 50 percent. If you can shoot over 50 percent, you're going to win a lot of basketball games."

On Friday, Steamboat committed only five turnovers while sinking seven 3-pointers. Most of the time, the Sailors would pass the ball around the perimeter before finding a wide-open shot. Steamboat scored on six straight possessions at one point in the first half.

"We try to make sure we work the ball around," Steamboat coach Luke DeWolfe said. "We got the shots that we wanted. That's been our philosophy throughout the year, to not let the defense dictate what shots we take. We did that tonight."

The Sailors quickly built a big lead from behind the arc. In the first half alone, Steamboat drilled five treys to go into halftime with a 31-14 advantage.

Charles Wood started a 13-0 run for the Sailors with a layup off a back-door cut. Wood scored two more baskets before Alex Wood swished a 3-pointer for a 16-5 edge.

Jack Spady hit two more 3s for Steamboat to give the Sailors their biggest lead of the half at 31-10.

"We've just come into our own recently shooting the ball that well," DeWolfe said. "The kids have a lot of confidence. If they're open and they get a good look, there's a good chance the ball is going to go in the hole."

Despite the large deficit, Eagle Valley kept fighting after the break. Trevor Grayson hit a 3-pointer to cut into Steamboat's lead at 35-19. Zak Thrall followed Grayson with two scores inside.

When Cesar Castillo hit a tough jumper, Eagle Valley trailed only 37-25.

"We did a lot better offensively tonight," Gabriel said. "We should have done better defensively, but Steamboat is good. I was not displeased. We are getting better, but everyone else is, too."

Castillo was the Devils' main threat offensively. He led all scorers on the night with 23 points. Zach Ramsey was next for Eagle Valley with six points and 11 rebounds.

"Cesar is a heck of an athlete," Gabriel said. "He's a beautiful athlete. He's fun to watch."

Unfortunately for Eagle Valley, Steamboat didn't stop scoring. Charles Wood scored a traditional 3-point play to push the lead back to 45-31. Charles Wood (14), Alex Wood (10) and Nelson Brassel (17) combined to score 41 of the Sailors' 63 points.

Steamboat next plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Palisade.