In a matchup of teams that made deep playoff runs last year,
the Almond-Bancroft boys basketball team pulled away down the stretch to beat
Amherst in the American Division of the 45th Sentry Classic at Bennett Court at
Quandt Fieldhouse Wednesday, Dec. 28.

The Eagles (5-1), ranked seventh in Division 5, led 39-35
over Amherst (2-2)
with eight minutes to go in the game, when they used an 18-4 run to pull away
for a 57-41 victory.

“I’m just happy how we responded,” said Almond-Bancroft boys
basketball head coach Curt Lamb. “Obviously, Amherst is a very physical, quick, strong,
tough team, and I was just happy how we played through some stuff and just kept
our composure and executed our offense.

“We had different kids step up and make big plays,” he said.
“It was a good team win for us.”

“It’s not about how big and how strong you are, it’s about
the sport you’re playing and working hard at it and being focused in practice,”
said Amherst
boys basketball head coach Scott Groholski. “We’ve got to be better in practice,
and I’ve got to get better, obviously I didn’t have them prepared the way I
wanted, and it just got out from underneath us.

“We were close,” he said. “And as bad as we played, we cut
it to four.”

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