HUMBOLDT — They won’t all be this easy, Humboldt High head coach David Taylor promised.
The Cubs tipped off the 2023-24 season against an outmanned St. Paul squad that was limited to six players, and with a distinct size deficit.
“They were behind the 8-ball,” Taylor said.
And Humboldt wasn’t in much of a mood to let the Indians relax, either, rolling to a 66-20 victory.
The Cubs opened the game with a 24-3 run, courtesy of a high-pressure defense leading to a litany fo transition baskets. The pace continued through the second quarter as well. Humboldt led 47-6 at the break, allowing Taylor to rest his starters from there.
“Our size was a big difference in the ball game,” Taylor said. “Or defensive pressure was pretty good. We got out and ran pretty well. We were very unselfish, which was good to see.”
Four players scored in double figures, with Sam Hull, Colden Cook and Asher Hart each scoring 12 points. Blake Ellis was just behind with 11.
“I was pleased with how we played,” Taylor said. “We had good continuity, with a good flow.”
If there was a silver lining for St. Paul, it was the Indians’ outside shooting. Six of St. Paul’s seven field goals in the game came from 3-point range.
Humboldt opens its preseason tournament Tuesday at home against Uniontown.
“It’ll do us some good,” to cram three games into the upcoming tournament week, Taylor said. “We’ll have to do some in-game adjustments, with not a lot of time to prepare. It’ll be good for the kids to be on the hot seat.”
