It has been an interesting December for the Yuma High School boys basketball team.
The former Indians played only three of their six scheduled games. They went 2-1, with all three coming down to the wire.
They finished December above .500 thanks to a 53-45 home win over Heritage Christian, last Saturday afternoon in The “Ice” Pit.
“We’re still trying to find our identity,” head coach Dave Sheffield said. “I wished we had more games, but it is what it is.”
Last Tuesday’s home game with Brush was postponed due to that day’s blizzard. Yuma then was to host a holiday tournament, Friday and Saturday. However, the conditions led to Sterling bowing out. Yuma then was to simply host Limon on Friday, and then Heritage Christian on Saturday.
Well, high winds continued on Friday, leading to the Limon game being postponed.
Yuma also had its season opener against Manual postponed due to high winds and blowing dirt.
All three home games are now set for next month.
Manual will visit on Tuesday, January 3, when YHS resumes classes after the Christmas break. Brush is scheduled to visit on January 10, and Limon on January 17. Plus, the schedule showed two games at Sedgwick County, but the January 6 date was incorrect, so Yuma will travel to the Cougars only on February 9.
Heritage Christian, out of Fort Collins, finally made it to town Saturday. It was Yuma’s first game since the previous Tuesday, December 13, and the team did not practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday last week.
It led to an unpredictable game with the Eagles.
Yuma led 16-11 early in the second quarter, but Heritage Christian rallied to within 21-20. Yuma, though, closed the half on an 11-0 run for a 32-20 halftime lead.
The hometown boys pushed the lead to as much as 16, 40-24, in the third quarter, but Heritage Christian closed the stanza on an 8-3.
The Eagles kept sticking around in the fourth, but Yuma finally was able to ice the game at the charity stripe in the final minute.
“We were stagnant having all those practice days off,” Sheffield said. “We just have some things to clean up. You can’t take away from our work ethic and our energy.”
Neither team shot well, Yuma finishing at 32.7 percent and the Eagles at 31.7. Yuma made five of 20 behind the 3-point arc, and Heritage Christian seven of 21. Yuma made 14 of 27 at the charity stripe, and the Eagles 12 of 21.
The big difference was Yuma scored 20 points off of turnovers, compared to the Eagles’ five. Yuma had 17 steals, and had just 11 turnovers compared to Heritage Christian’s 26.
Forest Rutledge finished with 13 points and six rebounds, Jake Haruf nine points and seven rebounds, Jesus Ross eight points, four rebounds and three steals, Angel Escobar seven points and two steals, Jonathan Carrillo five points and four rebounds, Daman Hernandez three points, seven steals and two assists, Cesar Gamboa three points, Brody Sheffield three points and three rebounds, and Cristian Duarte two points.
“Overall, we got some knowledge on our guys,” Sheffield said of December’s three games. “We did some good things, and there are some things we have to work on.”
