Prep hoops: Colony boys beat Palmer

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

PALMER - Colony head coach Jeff Bowker admits his team is still lacking the scoring punch. But the good thing for the Knighs is, they are not allowing opponents to score much either.

The stingy Colony defense shut down Palmer during the second and third quarters, and earned a 48-35 Northern Lights Conference win over the Moose at Palmer High School on Tuesday.

&#8220All year we have struggled to score points. So if we're not going to guard someone, we're going to have a tough time,” Bowker said. &#8220Our emphasis this year has been guarding. We've spent very little time on the offensive stuff.”

Colony held just a one-point lead after the first eight minutes, but its up-tempo style of play and pressure defense pretty much befuddled the Moose for the next two quarters.

&#8220We came out and knew we were in better shape than they were. We just had to hustle harder than they did,” said Colony senior Tim Egger, who led the Knights with 12 points. &#8220One thing we can control is how hard we hustle. We are hoping to be the most in-shape, fastest team in the state. We want to use that to our advantage and take that into the fourth quarter.”

Palmer senior forward Aaron Kohring scored six of his team's eight first-quarter points. But after that first period, quality looks for the leading scorer of the Moose seemed to be few and far between.

&#8220Our interior defense was very good,” Bowker said. &#8220Kohring still got a few buckets on us. Anyone who knows Valley basketball knows Kohring can shoot the ball.”

Another Palmer power in the post, Trent Berberich, was held to four points.

&#8220Berberich, he's good. He'll post you, and he's a big body,” Bowker said. &#8220For the most part we managed to contain him.”

Bowker said key to the defensive gameplan was keeping fresh bodies on Palmer's talent inside.

&#8220They're strong in there with those big kids,” Bowker said. &#8220I think Tim (Egger), Tom (Creasey) and Grant (Niver) did a good job of containing them.”

Egger and fellow senior Ryan Gray each hit double digits in scoring for the Knights. Egger scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Six of those points came from the free throw line. He hit all eight of his free throw attempts in the game.

Gray scored 10 points.