If winning builds confidence the CAL (Latimer) boy’s team should have a lot more when they host Dunkerton on Friday night. The Eagles won their first game on Tuesday night since January 25th of 2005, a span of 79 games. Equally impressive is who they beat. The Eagles held off a second half rally to post a 57-55 win over a Tripoli team that entered the contest with a record of 8-0.
Kevin Kuker says they had their sites set on other teams on the schedule, but he says to defeat such a good team was even better. Kuker is in his first season as the head coach after serving four years as an assistant. Kuker says the Eagles put together the complete effort they needed after starting the season 0-6.
He says they’ve been playing three quarters and he told them they had to have the one last quarter to get the win, and they were able to do it. Kuker says there was a tremendous amount of pressure on his team in the waning moments and believes it will be easier to close out the game the next time they are in that situation.
Last year the coach told them they would have to win a close game to end the losing streak, and he says he told them at the end of the game that was true. He says they were nervous as the end of the game, but held on. Kuker says the players have worked hard and he is thrilled to see their efforts rewarded.
He says even with all the losing, they are still showing up for open gym and working in the summer and Kuker believes that has helped them come together as a team.