Times a-changin' for HS boys

The times they are a-changin’ for the Hot Springs boys basketball team.

Fighting through the season with only six players so far, the Heat’s playing roster is expected to swell to nine this weekend when three eighth graders get their required practices in and become eligible for Saturday’s game with Noxon in Hot Springs.

Before that however, the six-strong Savage Heat have one more undermanned game to play, in Plains Thursday.

Hot Spring coach Ricky DePoe has no complaints about how his gritty group of boys have played so far, and looks forward to having some more bodies to play ball with after this weekend.

“I don’t want to rush the kids in there, but it will be nice to at least have some different options now,” he said. “This should be good for everybody, this year’s team and the kids getting the chance to play some high school ball early.”

Still going with only six last week, the Heat edged Victor 48-45 Thursday and lost 43-33 to Valley Christian Saturday. Both games were played in Hot Springs.

Against Victor, the Heat trailed 33-29 heading into the fourth quarter but won the final frame 19-12 to move to the win.

Tyler Carr led the Spa City boys to the win with 17 points, Brandon Knudsen scored 15, Justin Salmi seven, Sean Fisher five and Luke Waterbury four.

Skyler Webberson scored 13 points to lead Victor and Tristen Chavez added 10.

The Heat had their chances to win again against Valley Christian Saturday, but a bloody nose suffered by Knudsen derailed those chances.

“His nose was bleeding before the game and we got it stopped,” DePoe said. “Then it started bleeding again in the second half. We took him out to take care of it and Valley went on a run, building the lead up to about 10 points. We couldn’t get back into it after that.”

Knudsen scored 20 points in spite of his nose problem to lead Hot Springs, Carr added 11 and Waterbury two.