Tigers Boys Basketball Drop Three Games During Difficult Week (Dec. 16–19)

Excelsior Springs, Mo. (Dec. 16-19) – The Tiger basketball team endured a challenging week, dropping all three games on the schedule.

The stretch opened with a 76–39 loss to the Truman Patriots on December 16, followed by a 66–33 defeat against the Raytown South Cardinals on December 18. The week concluded with a 57–43 loss to the Odessa Bulldogs on December 19, marking the Tigers’ second loss of the season to Odessa.

The week began with a slow-paced matchup against Truman. The Tigers opened the game with a basket and a free throw to take an early 3–0 lead but were unable to score again in the opening quarter. Truman also struggled offensively early but closed the quarter on a 5–0 run to take a 5–3 lead. The pace picked up in the second quarter, with the Patriots extending their advantage to 19–10 before the Tigers responded. A late push cut the deficit to 23–18 heading into halftime.

Truman took control in the third quarter, scoring 30 points while holding the Tigers to eight, effectively putting the game out of reach. Junior Kalib Strickland led the Tigers with 10 points, while senior Booker O’Neill added eight. Turnovers proved costly, as the Tigers committed 22, which led to 23 points for the Patriots.

The second game of the week marked the Tigers’ Suburban Blue Conference opener against Raytown South. The Cardinals came out strong, scoring 23 points in the first quarter to take a 23–13 lead. Offenses slowed in the second quarter, and Raytown South carried a 31–16 advantage into halftime. A 21-point third quarter solidified the win for the Cardinals. O’Neill was the lone Tiger in double figures with 16 points, while O’Dell and Strickland each scored six. Turnovers again played a major role, with the Tigers committing 24, resulting in 23 points for Raytown South.