The real question for the boys’ basketball team is just which squad will show up on a daily basis.
- Junior guard Christian Thomas goes up for a three-point attempt in the first half of the Hounds’ 48-42 win over the rival Ladue Rams on Feb. 11. The team improved to 15-7 and Thomas finished with 19 points in the game, which was played in Fontbonne’s gym for the first time in the series. (photo by Izzy Fratt)
Will it be the team that handily defeated a good Normandy team on the road on Jan. 29, or the team that lost by 13 at home to a considerably less talented Westminster squad at home three days before?
Having not won or lost two straight games in their last six match-ups, there has really been no consistency to judge the Hounds by.
With districts right around the corner, the team needs to return to their winning form of earlier in the season.
“We need to work on sharing the ball, finding the open man and getting easy baskets,” head coach Ryan Luhning said.
At the same time, the team has had to fight through injuries to junior guard Ahmad Smith and sophomore guards Charlie Harned and Clayton Buchanan. While Luhning is not one to make excuses, clearly part of the team’s struggles have come from these injuries.
However, with the setbacks, new people have stepped up for the Hounds.
“[Senior] Preston Burnsed has really stepped up lately, and [senior Max] Goldfarb has played tough for us,” junior guard Christian Thomas said.
Thomas has stepped up his game for the Hounds lately as well. Now just 12 points away from 1,000 for his career, Thomas is averaging a team-high 21 points per game to go with 10 rebounds per game as well.
“I’ve done a good job of scoring, rebounding and ball-handling lately,” Thomas said.
On Feb. 17, the Hounds took on Maplewood, and in a losing effort, Thomas netted 29 points, 10 rebounds, seven blocks and five steals.
However, Thomas wasn’t the only talent on display for the Hounds on their Senior Night. Senior guard Devonte Bell (who is averaging 15 points per game) was honored before the game as a possible recipient for an McDonalds All-American award. Only 1,000 high school players in the country received the recognition.
Hopefully, these two talented players can make Bell and seven other seniors’ final playoff run a memorable one. The team certainly has the talent to do so.
The Hounds first district game will be at home on Feb. 24 at 8:30 against the winner of the Westminster-University City game.
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