MEEKER I The Meeker Cowboys mens’ basketball team started the 2011-12 campaign in grand fashion this past weekend, picking up two wins in the Aspen tournament. On Friday, the Cowboys had to overcome deficits in each period to gain a 55-52 victory over Vail Christian. On Saturday, the ‘Pokes were in control for most of the game against 3A Aspen en route to a 49-43 win.
Friday’s season opener started slowly for the Meeker five as Vail opened up an 11-8 first quarter lead. Meeker was led by the “Smith bunch” as Cooper Smith and his brother Gable Smith paced the Cowboys with the help of Scott Smith. The second quarter saw Meeker fall behind by another point, but were able to stay within striking range to end the stanza 24-20. In the third period Cooper led the scoring with eight points. The Cowboys were only down by three heading into the fourth quarter. Scott and Gable provided most of the offensive momentum in the fourth as Meeker took the lead and outdistanced the Saints 55-52 at the final buzzer.
Saturday, the Cowboys came out against the 3A Aspen Skiers with a good opening quarter. Trey Morris provided the Meeker punch for a 12-12 deadlock after the first period. Aspen’s offense racked up 15 points in the quarter while Meeker countered with 11. In the third, the Skiers’ Roark scored 13 of his team’s 16 points, but Meeker gained ground on the balanced scoring of Cooper Smith, Trey Morris and Dylan Mobley. Meeker concentrated their defensive effort on Roark in the fourth and held the Skiers to a scoreless period, winning the game 49-43.
This week, the Cowboys will host the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout with their first game scheduled against the Cedaredge Bruins at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Scoring
Meeker – 8 12 14 21 – 55
C. Smith 7,1,5,3 – 20, S. Smith 4,0,2,1 -9, R. Lopez 0,0,2,2 -2, J. Musgrave 0,0,4,4 -4, T. Morris 1,1,8,5 -7, G. Smith 4,1,2,0 – 11, D. Mobley 0,0,5,2 – 2
Vail – 11 13 13 15 – 52
Ellsworth 0,0,4,4 – 4, Hernandez 1,3,4,4 – 15, Johnson1,0,0,0 – 2, Bowles 0,1,0,0 – 3, Wilson 7,0,2,2 – 16, Linder 2,0,7,6 – 10, Currey 1,0,0,0 – 2.
Meeker 12 11 18 8 – 49
C. Smith 2,4,2,2 – 18, S. Smith 1,0,2,1 – 3, R. Lopez 1,0,0,0 – 2, T. Morris 3,3,4,1 – 16, G. Smith 1,0,1,0 – 2, D. Mobley 4,0,1,0 – 8
Aspen 12 15 16 0 – 43
Hirsch 0,0,2,0 – 0, Roark 9,0,8,6 – 24, Powell 0,2,0,0 – 6, Schwartz 1,0,0,0 – 2, Amador 1,2,0,0 – 8, Lichtenwalter 0,1,0,0 – 3.
