The Solanco boys basketball team tallied the game's first 10 points and cruised to a 46-27 triumph over visiting Donegal Friday night, December 13. The Mules (2-3) enter the week on a two-game winning streak. Solanco's solid man-to-man defense stymied the Braves. "Our style is very much 'contain and stay in front'," Mules' first-year coach David Long said. "Then at certain moments, jump [to help or double-team]. I think we did a really good job of staying disciplined, staying back, making them work their stuff and then when you're free, go jump. They did that at the right time."
All five Solanco starters scored in the first quarter. Ryan Smith and Austin Woods each hit a three-pointer to start the game. Zed Baker and Jalen Henry each added a basket to make it 10-2. After Donegal got on the board in the final minute of the quarter, the Mules' Colesen Sheaffer was fouled while shooting a three-pointer and made two of three free throws. Solanco led 16-8 before scoring seven straight. Henry had two buckets to end the mini-run and lengthen the lead to 23-8. The Mules were up 23-11 at halftime and never led by less than 10 the rest of the way. Up 30-20, Baker scored the last basket of the third quarter and Woods and Baker each contributed a bucket to begin the fourth. A Smith three-pointer provided Solanco with a 42-22 cushion midway through the period. Baker led the Mules with 16 points and Henry chipped in 12. Woods added nine and Smith supplied seven. Long said Solanco played with more confidence coming off its first victory the night before. "There was a lot more ease and I think our decision-making improved because we were able to not overthink everything," said Long. "[Against Ephrata], it was tense which it should be if you haven't won a game yet. We got that under our belt and we played a little freer [Friday night]." Prior to the season, the coach said he wanted his team to establish an identity of being the toughest team on the court each night. He is seeing signs of that happening. "The main thing I learned is we're a lot tougher than we probably realized," Long said. "We talk about toughness a lot with just being able to hold the ball. In the tip-off tournament when a trap was coming they wanted out, just wanted the ball out of their hands. We are able to be strong enough, with two guys in our face, we're going to pivot, move, and then make the pass that's there. We're getting a lot tougher." Solanco 40, Ephrata 32 The Mules earned their first win of the season Thursday, December 12. Austin Woods paced Solanco with 12 points. Ryan Smith notched nine and Colesen Sheaffer and Jalen Henry each supplied seven. Elizabethtown 79, Solanco 57 Colesen Sheaffer scored 16 of his team-high 19 points in the second half for the visiting Mules in a loss Tuesday, December 10. Ethan Clary contributed 11 points. Comments are closed.
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