Raiders lose two; team on eight-game streak

The Hastings boys basketball team has lost eight straight games following two more Suburban East Conference games this week.

The Raiders fell to Roseville on Thursday, Jan. 26, 83-44, and to Mounds View on Tuesday, 64-52.

The loss Tuesday night was indicative of how much of the season has gone. Hastings played hard and played well for much of the game. The problem, though, was a critical stretch at the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second half.

Hastings trailed Mounds View just 20-19 with about three minutes to play in the first half. Hastings, though, made a few mistakes and Mounds View capitalized, quickly running their lead to 10 heading into halftime, 32-22.

“For the most part, we play well — we just have a couple key moments in games where we don’t make plays,” coach Chad Feikema said. “That three-minute stretch at the end of the first half, that was essentially the game. We played really well for a good chunk of the game. Then we have short stretches that get to us.”

To start the second half, Hastings held Mounds View scoreless for more than three minutes. During that stretch, though, Hastings couldn’t convert on a couple good offensive opportunities, and the lead remained at 10.

“To a large degree, our kids play really hard,” Feikema said. “They do a lot of really good things. We just need to be able to convert on our opportunities and be consistent for 36 minutes.”

Hastings has a unique team this season. The Raiders lack any real height, and the average height of the players on the roster is 5-11 1/2. Starting lineups across the SEC feature average heights of between 6-2 and 6-4.

That factor, coupled with a season-long struggle from three-point range, hasn’t made things any easier. Hastings has shot just 24 percent from behind the three-point arc.

“We’re not very big, and we don’t shoot real well from the three-point line, but we have good athletes,” Feikema said. “We have some good players. We just have to overcome the size issue.”

Against Mounds View, Hastings fared better from the field, hitting seven three-pointers. Ben Carlson had a career-high 11 points, including three three-pointers.

Darius Wilkerson led all scorers with 15 points. DaShaun Harris had 12. Mitch Hoffman finished with seven, Quintan Weaver had five and Josh Monjeau had two.

Hastings hopes to get guard Ellis Williams back from an injury this week.

The Raiders now has a 6-11 overall record and a 1-9 mark in SEC play.

The Raiders play at Park on Friday at 7:15 p.m.The Wolfpack has an 0-10 record in the SEC.

Vs Roseville

Against Roseville, a rough first half cost Hastings the game.

Roseville built a 51-18 lead by halftime, then outscored Hastings in the second half by just six, 32-26.

Hastings had just one player in double figures. DaShaun Harris led the scoring effort with 10 points.

Also scoring were: Jesse Green, two; Connor Raway, five; Josh Monjeau, four; Ross Dylla, two; Ben Carlson, five; John Tate, two; Mitch Hoffman, two; Alex Wiese, two; Darius Wilkerson, eight; and Quintan Weaver, two.

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