There will be more to say about the Yates Center boys basketball team on Thursday night, when they take on the Titans of Southern Coffey County in the second round of the Wildcat Winter Classic.
Monday night’s game versus Altoona-Midway, though, was something of a breeze. The hometown team uncorked a whupping that left the Jets on the sour side of a 29-3 tally at the end of the first quarter. The score was 49-9 at halftime and 66-21 by the time of the final buzzer.
The early disparity in scoring gave the Yates Center team plenty of opportunity to test the game-time mettle of their reserve lineup, and meant that 10 of the team’s 12 players entered the scoring column.
The game’s leading scorer — and easily one of the best players in the Three Rivers League — Aaron King ended the night with 21 points, 19 of which came in the first half, 15 of which he notched in the first quarter, 10 of which he deposited in the first five minutes.
You could, however, feel a certain amount of shpilkes running through the Wildcat fanbase, when, early in the third quarter, King took a seat on the bench, removed his sneaker, and for the remainder of the game held a bag of ice to the side of his right ankle. The junior would occasionally stand and test the joint, which, by game’s end, was limber enough to convey his long frame back to the locker room. There’s no suggestion that he will be hindered in Thursday’s matchup.
As for the other Cats: Kobe Forsyth and sharp-shooter Reece Solander each deposited 10 points; Joshua King had 6; Braydon Gaulding and Colin Bedell added 5 apiece; Asher Sievers hit a high-arcing three in the third quarter; Jordan Smith, Tytan Smoot and Nolan Jones each scored 2 points.
Altoona-Midway’s Clement Huffman led his team’s noble coping with seven points. The Jets Josh Meigs and Dawson Ashmore each scored 5. Caden Carter added the team’s last four points.
Yates Center will need its fresh legs for Thursday night’s matchup with SCC. The Titans are as physically mature as the Wildcats and every bit as athletic. Tip-off is at 8 p.m.
Yates Center boys cruise past Altoona
