They've Only Just Begun

It doesn't seem fair does it? Coming into such a promising year and starting with 2 big wins...it just doesn't seem right. On Friday night, the Eagles fell 57-55 to Fort Zumwalt North in the championship game of the Bank of Old Monroe Tip Off Classic at Winfield, a game that was DOMINATED by the Eagles. There were only about 20 seconds in the game that the Eagles weren't tied or leading. Unfortunately, those were the times that counted. The loss dropped the Eagles to 2-1 on the newborn season and created an unexpected (and unwanted) emotional speed bump that the Eagles will soon need to get over.

In this first week, a few points have presented themselves concerning the Eagles play.

1. Seniors Blake Meers and Andrew Frank are stepping up big to begin their final seasons at CHS. Meers took home the Tournament MVP and Frank was a huge contributor for the Eagles, maybe not on the statline, but definitely on the court. The way he handled himself with and without the ball this week is a great encouragement to all those looking for the big-time guard to end his career with a bang.

2. The juniors need to find their '09-'10 form. Adam Glenville, Brendan Norwine, and Ben Pickett all played well this week. But we still have yet to see the form of the Glenville that lead the team in scoring last year. We have yet to see the Norwine who had the poise of a pro. And we haven't quite seen the production from Pickett, who Eagles fans can always count on for multiple points, rebounds, and blocks in a game. They all seem to be forcing the issue. Look for these three to settle in and start catching fire here soon.

3. Free throw shooting is a problem. I don't want to throw salt on the wound, but Friday night's game could've been won by free throws. And it doesn't matter when in the game they come; points are points. The two victories saw the Eagles shoot barely over the 50% mark from the line. And the loss saw some key free throw misses at the end...misses that came back to bite the Eagles. If the boys are gonna be the dominate team that they're expected to be, hitting from the foul line is a must.

4. The Eagles don't need to get flustered. In every game this week, the opponents, who were overwhelmed by the Eagles ability to push the ball up the floor, applied a full court press. And in every game, the boys seemed to be trapped. In order to hold and build leads, the Eagles need to keep their heads and stick to the fundamentals that make them such a good team.

All things aside, this was a great week for Eagles basketball. They played a 4A school to 2 points in a high intensity game. They soundly defeated a highly athletic North County Tech. And, in my favorite moment of the week, they defeated the Winfield Warriors on their own court. The team looked sharp out of the gun, with only a few minor tweaks to attend to. Two years ago, Christian High School rocked MSHSAA's world when the went 21-6. One year ago, the Eagles reassured all of their doubters with another 21-6 campaign. This year, they've got the reputation. People don't expect to walk all over the Christian High School Eagles anymore. They're a feared team. Now, the Eagles need to back it up. Walk the walk, so to speak. And after witnessing one full week of 2010-2011 Eagles basketball, I have no doubt that the Eagles will soon be living up to the hype that followed them into this year. So brace yourselves, Eagles fans. This is gonna be one heck of a ride.