By LAURA GVOZDAS
Express Staff Correspondent
Coming off a victory against Filer last weekend, the Wood River boys varsity basketball team was hoping to add another W with a conference win against Minico.
After holding the Minico Spartans to only 38 points during their second game of the season, Wood River (2-12) needed to think defensively and play offensively to avenge the 38-20 loss in early December.
The Minico Spartans had other plans. Having lost six consecutive games, the Spartans knew a win against their Great Basin West Conference opponents was exactly what they needed.
Meeting Wednesday night at the Wolverines gym, Minico attacked early with four quick points in the first minute. Wood River senior Reno Christino added a field goal of his own while senior Dylan Fullmer sank a three point shot to keep the home team in the game.
But with five players contributing points in the first quarter, Minico took a 15-7 lead. Both teams missed potential three-point plays with poor free throw shooting during the first quarter.
Senior Brady Femling, quiet in the first quarter, began the second by sinking a three after a Minico turn-over and brought the Wolverines within 5.
Minico answered with two points in the paint, but Femling knocked down another field goal to keep Wood River close. Christino contributed with back to back field goals. Only down by one, it was the closest Wood River would get to catching the Spartans.
Having outscored Minico in the second quarter and only down 25-18 at half, Wood River needed a big third quarter to rein in the Spartans.
The third quarter turned out to be anything but. The Wolverines could not buy a shot and Minico went on an 8-0 in the first five minutes of the half.
Consecutive turnovers interrupted the flow of Wood River's offense and the Wolverines scrambled to find their footing.
Junior Casey Lane provided the one bright spot for Wood River with a field goal in the last few minutes of the quarter, the only shot that fell for the home team in eight minutes.
Senior Kody Bingham of Minico, who had been dominating in the paint all game, punctuated the Spartans dominance by nailing a three point shot to
give Minico a 41-20 lead heading into the final quarter.
Offensively, Wood River began to show signs of life early in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Corbin Miniard, who had been in foul trouble in the first half, sank a field goal and one of two free throws. Femling added four points of his own, and junior ball handler, Morgan Uhrig, finished a quick lay-up.
Minico failed to respond offensively and Wood River finished the game with a solid 9-2 run to outscore the Spartans 12-6 in the final quarter. But the spark was too little, too late, and Minico broke their losing streak with a 47-32 win.
"We weren't ready to play and we just can't afford to slack off,"' Wood River coach Fred Trenkle said. "The talent difference is too big and we have to play our absolute best to win."
Christino finished with 12 points for the second consecutive game. Other scorers included Femling 9, Uhrig 3, Miniard 3, Fullmer 3, and Lane 2.
Minico's leading scorer was Bingham with 11 points.
With another conference game just around the corner, Trenkle hopes that his team will be better prepared. "We have to be more focused to win," he said.
"But I think we have a few more wins in us."
Wood River faces the Jerome Tigers at home next Wednesday, January 26. The Wolverines lost to Jerome 48-33 earlier this month.
