Announcement
Lamar bests Clear Lake 85-81 in wild season opener.
November 15, 2016
Ten years and one day ago Krueger Field House was dedicated. As it had been for decades, the season opening game opponent was Milby High School. Clear Lake prevailed 71-55 in that contest which was typical of a season opener for Clear Lake.
Tonight in Krueger Field House fans were treated to a very special season opener. Against Houston Lamar, who can always be counted on to be very formidable adversaries, fans were treated to an exceptional basketball game.
Lamar is among the better teams Lake will face in the regular season this year. They shot the ball exceptionally well, they rebounded much better than most teams will, and they played smart, aggressive basketball on both ends of the court (when I review the game video I will be sure to count the number of goals Lamar scored from less than three feet from the basket).
Of the eleven season openers played in Krueger Field House, this game was by far the best. What made the game such a treat and perhaps the best season opener in almost 25 years was the way Lake responded to the high level of competition. It was an excellent display of Lake’s capabilities and talent against a great basketball team. With 5:17 remaining in the game Lake was down by 17 but battled back to make it a very close contest. With 33 seconds remaining it was a 2 point game. With 5.18 seconds remaining Zaid “Iceman” Harris calmly sank a 3 pointer to again make it a 2 point game. A questionable call on a Lamar baseline throw-in put Lamar at the free throw line to ice the thrilling contest. What a game!
There were 166 total points scored in the game. Lake’s Ajare Sanni (junior) led all scorers with 40 points (4 points shy of the school record set by Alden Miles in 2013). Sanni had 27 in the first half and scored all 17 of Lake’s points in the second quarter. That is the first time in 15 years that one Lake player scored all of the points in a quarter where 10 points or more were scored. Sophomore Jeremiah Maldonado had 20, and junior Zaid Harris had 11.
This year's Lake squad is admittedly young with only one senior starter, two juniors, and two sophomores. The youth of the team did show through at times but overall it was a great game with exceptional play from both teams. The series is now tied at two wins each.
It is going to be an exciting season with several nail biters going down to the wire.
