Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball coach Luke DeWolfe knew there would be some growing pains involved with his young team.

And if the Flaming Gorge Classic tournament in Green River, Wyo., did anything, it only confirmed those concerns.

Steamboat (3-6) lost its third straight game of the tournament and fifth in a row Saturday, falling in its final game before the New Year, 52-32, to Evanston.

“We did play a lot better,” said DeWolfe, whose team has been trying to work in four new starters. “It was our best game of the tournament.”

The Sailors were without starting forward Eric Trousil, who was dealing with an injury.

Ben Custer stepped in for Trousil, but Steamboat still struggled with Evanston’s athleticism.

Custer and Jake Miller led the Sailors with 11 points each. Kit Croop added six.

“A big part of it is playing with confidence and sureness,” DeWolfe said. “In games we’ve lost, we’ve played not to lose. We’ve played not to make mistakes.”

DeWolfe said he remains happy with the way his team has played defense; it’s just the offense that has struggled with turnovers and putting the ball in the basket. He said the goal still is to contend in the Western Slope League. To do that, though, DeWolfe knows his team has to get better during the holiday break.

“We have to control turnovers and deal with pressure,” he said. “If we can do that and defensive rebound, we’ll do just fine in our league.”

— To reach Luke Graham, call 970-871-4229 or email lgraham@SteamboatToday