MEEKER | The Meeker Cowboys boys basketball team opened last week on the road against the Roaring Fork Rams, looking to bounce back from a home loss earlier this season.
That rebound didn’t come. Meeker fell 68–48 on the road, dropping the Cowboys to 12–6 overall.
Meeker shot 41 percent from the field and struggled to find rhythm offensively as Roaring Fork’s defensive pressure disrupted ball movement and forced difficult possessions. The Rams created separation late, capitalizing on turnovers and second-chance opportunities.
“They took us out of some things defensively,” Meeker head coach Klark Kindler said. “In the last three minutes we rushed some shots on offense, then took too many chances on defense and gave up some easy layups.”
Junior Trent Sanders led Meeker with a game-high 24 points, scoring efficiently from the field and the free-throw line. He added six rebounds and two steals.
Junior Carlos Carrillo and freshman Lawson Anderson each scored six points. Carrillo was perfect from the field, while Anderson provided energy inside, pulling down a team-high eight rebounds, including four offensive boards.
Junior Said Rodriguez finished with four assists, while junior Cade Mills contributed six rebounds, three assists and a team-high three steals. Meeker was out-rebounded 29–21 and committed 25 turnovers, which Roaring Fork converted into points to pull away in the second half.
Despite the result, Kindler said the message afterward was about perspective.
“We talked after the Roaring Fork game about moving forward,” he said. “It was not a 20-point game, and we proved we belong with the top teams in the state.”
The Cowboys responded Friday night at home against the Cedaredge Bruins, rolling to an 83–53 win to complete the season sweep. The victory improved Meeker to 13–6 overall and 7–3 in league play.
Meeker set the tone early with defensive pressure and efficient shooting, building a lead that steadily grew throughout the night. The Cowboys shot 54 percent from the field, recorded 17 assists and forced Cedaredge into 11 turnovers.
“We played well against Cedaredge and, more importantly, shot the ball well,” Kindler said. “That makes things a lot easier.”
Sanders led all scorers with 35 points on 12-of-17 shooting. He was dominant inside, going 8-for-8 on two-point attempts, while adding nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
“I felt good early and once a couple shots fell, my confidence built,” Sanders said. “When my outside shot isn’t going in, getting to the free-throw line and scoring in the paint are big ways for me to help create offense.”
Sanders said the response at home was important following the road loss.
“We had a tough loss, so it was important to come back and take care of business at home,” he said. “Making the right basketball play is the key to winning — sometimes that’s scoring, sometimes it’s making the right read.”
Freshman Lawson Anderson provided a spark off the bench with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and five rebounds. Rodriguez added nine points, five assists and five steals, helping Meeker control tempo on both ends of the floor.
Elai Powers scored eight points, including two 3-pointers, and Tucker Chinn added six points. Carrillo and Mills combined for nine points and eight rebounds as Meeker’s depth wore down the visiting Bruins.
The Cowboys controlled the glass 34–22 and consistently turned defensive stops into scoring opportunities to stretch the lead in the second half.
As of Feb. 15, Meeker remains 18th in the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.
The Cowboys now return home for two more games this week, hosting the Olathe Pirates on Friday at 7 p.m. Meeker dropped a 71–68 decision to Olathe earlier this season.
“We need to close them out if we get a chance,” Kindler said. “Last time we missed free throws and layups that allowed them to stay in the game and make a play at the end.”
Meeker will then host the North Fork Miners on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Cowboys defeated North Fork 49–46 on the road Jan. 30 on a last-second 3-pointer by Sanders, but Kindler said finishing remains a focus.
“We again did not close out well,” he said. “They got hot in front of their crowd and made five 3s in the fourth quarter. We need to guard better to close games out.”
Sanders said the focus now is carrying momentum into the final stretch.
“We’re just building confidence and belief as a team,” he said. “These last two weeks are about getting ready and excited for the postseason.”
With two home contests ahead, Kindler emphasized continued growth.
“It’s nice to be at home,” he said, “but we need to keep improving and getting better.”
As the regular season winds down, the Cowboys will look to build off Friday’s performance and continue gaining confidence heading into postseason play.
Trent Sanders gets set to fire a three-pointer for the Meeker Cowboys during Friday night’s home game against Cedaredge, helping the team build a big lead en route to a season-sweep win. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO