Eudora ? The Veritas Christian boys basketball team had a hard act to follow Saturday at the Eudora Community Learning Center. The Veritas girls squad routed Wichita Word of Life just before the boys hit the hardwood.

But the boys team responded in the best fashion it could have, picking up its first win of the season in an exciting 62-57 victory.

“We all felt pretty good,” Veritas’ Taylor Zook said. “It was a tough win. We really had to work for it, and I think our coach (Doug Bennett) really appreciated that.”

After coming out slow in the first quarter, the Eagles (1-4) were able to tie it up going into the intermission and outscored the Fire in each of the final three periods.

“We took care of the ball – didn’t turn it over late,” Bennett said. “We finished that game real well.”

Zook took charge on offense, finishing with a game-high total of 20 points, with teammates Micah Barclay (16 points) and Josh Masrud (14) helping out with the scoring.

Barclay and Masrud were most impressive in the clutch as both knocked down a pair of free throws in the final minute to clinch the victory.

Veritas' Taylor Zook puts up a shot over Wichita Word of Life's Dalton Domebo. The Eagles won, 62-57, Saturday in Eudora. The Veritas girls also defeated Word of Life, 50-22.

“We really did hit our free throws well down the stretch and kept them at bay,” said Bennett, whose team went 15-of-24 from the line.

The victory not only gave the Eagles their first victory of the season, but it also finished off the sweep of Word of Life.

The Veritas girls’ defense made it difficult for the Fire to get on the board in the early going.

The Eagles (2-2) were merely 11 seconds away from pitching a first-half shutout against Word of Life, but a three-point shot – that banked in – sent the game into halftime with a score of 40-3.

“Our defensive pressure really gave them trouble, and they didn’t handle it very well,” Veritas coach Kevin Shelton said about a defense that forced 41 turnovers. “That’s one thing we’ve been working on is our defensive pressure, and I’m pretty proud of their effort there in the first half and the game was pretty much over at that first half.”

Shelton had his players ease back on defense in the second half, which led to the Fire outscoring them 19-10 in the closing quarters.

But thanks in large part to Kristie Tiegreen’s 18 points and nine rebounds – both of which were game highs – Veritas’ lead was insurmountable.

The Eagles also got a little offense from Susan Wilson, who had eight points, and Caroline Mayhew, who finished with seven.

Veritas' Kristie Tiegreen gets fouled by Word of Life's Cailea Sheedy during the second half. Veritas beat Word of life Saturday night.

“Today Susan Wilson did a pretty good job, where last night Taelyr Shelton did a pretty good job,” Shelton said. “We’re trying to develop that other scorer – which we need badly – and those girls are coming through.”

Shelton said he was happy with the success on the defensive end as well, especially with the West Nodaway (Mo.) Invitational on slate following winter break.

“We’ve been working on our half-court press, and we’ve been wanting to put in the full-court press,” Shelton said. “We think that is something with our quickness might help us with teams that are much taller than us. So we’re going to counteract that with a full-court press and pressure defense. It’s something we’re going to keep working on over the winter break.”