Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The offensive struggle continues for the Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball team.

The Sailors, despite being young, simply haven’t found a way to score this season.

The latest — a 39-29 loss at Rifle at Saturday — was another mark on offensive ineptitude.

But amid a murky Western Slope League, the Sailors have played good enough defense to win.

Saturday was no different.

Steamboat went scoreless in the first quarter, falling behind Rifle 12-0.

“I don’t know if we were ready, I don’t know if we were flat and not ready to go,” Steamboat coach Luke DeWolfe said. “We turned the ball over a bunch. It was one of those quarters where we didn’t hit the floor running.”

Steamboat’s offensive struggles have been a hinder all year. The Sailors, now 8-7, have scored more than 50 points three times this year. The team hasn’t scored 60 points in a game this season. Of course, it has only given up 60 more than once this year.

“I don’t think you can go away from shooting the 3,” DeWolfe said. “It comes down to putting the ball in the hole. I don’t know another way other than to keep shooting it.”

Steamboat had cut the lead to four points in the fourth quarter, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Rifle sealed it.

Zach Dunklin led the Sailors with 12 points, all by making 3-pointers.

Steamboat now enters a critical stretch. The team plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday at league leading Palisade.

With four games remaining, the Sailors need wins.

“I would hope and think we need to try and get a couple of them if we want a good seed going into the district tournament,” DeWolfe said. “It would help us if we can get two of four. I mean ideally we’d get all four. More importantly is we play well and I think those wins will come.”

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