Mustangs sweep Axtell Park; split with Brandon Valley

In showdowns with the two teams that Memorial will only play one time this year, MMS went a combined 3 - 1. The lone defeat was against BV's B Team.
A Game: The Mustangs notched their first win of the season vs. Axtell Park, 37-27. Memorial outscored the opponent in each of the four quarters. Taryn C. led the way on offense, scoring 13 points. Tyler S. and Jonny C. gave the team some much needed energy on both ends of the court, causing many turnovers and getting a lot of loose balls. Tyler H. also did an outstanding job of keeping the opposing post player in check. Coach Hoegh felt that "it was a good win for us, but we need to get better with a difficult schedule coming soon."
In the next game, the Mustangs defeated Brandon Valley in a close one, 38-35. Memorial found themselves down 18-12 at halftime, but came roaring back in the 3rd quarter to lead by 4 going into the final frame. "David K. hit a couple of huge threes in the 3rd that propelled us to a great win," Coach Hoegh said post-game. He added, "Our guys really showed some mental toughness after being down at halftime. Everyone on the team believed that we had enough to come back and win the game, and that confidence helped us make some outstanding plays down the stretch."
B Game: Coming off a difficult opening game loss, Memorial responded with an outstanding performance vs. Axtell Park on February 17, winning the game 46-24. All 15 players on the team contributed to the victory. "I went into the game wanting intensity for the whole duration of the game," said Coach Hoegh, "and that it what the team brought tonight. They really played hard for each other. John L. made a couple of great passes early in the game, and that helped the rest of the team play unselfishly. Sam D. and Zack L. had some crazy buzzer-beaters to end quarters, so that was huge, too."
Two days later with Brandon Valley as the opponent, Memorial fell 28-20. The Mustangs made a strong rally in the 4th quarter, but it was not enough in the end. Coach Hoegh felt his players reacted poorly to early mistakes, which affected their play for the rest of the game. "We need to have a short memory during a basketball game because there's always another play to be made."
The Mustangs play next at Edison Middle School on February 25.