A thin layer of snow was melting outside on Saturday, but inside Langston Hughes Elementary the junior high boys Hoopsters teams were heating up the court. The Terrapins took on the Horned Frogs in the boys’ first morning match-up. After back and forth scoring, it was the Terrapins who grabbed the win over the Horned Frogs, 32-29.

The Horned Frogs grabbed the ball off the tip and scored the first bucket of the game. After a missed lay-up attempt from Horned Frog John Flory and a steal, the Terrapins would score two consecutive field goals taking the early lead. Taylor Stuart shot another basket for the team leaving them with a six-point lead over the Horned Frogs going into the second quarter.

Sharp passing in the second quarter helped the Horned Frogs close the scoring gap with the Terrapins. Horned Frog Dillon McIntyre attempted a shot that bounced off the backboard, but veered just shy of the basket. It was a Devon Forio three-point shot that started the Frogs’ on a scoring drive. Zach Korte followed this up with a two pointer and McIntyre finally hit his mark with a bucket bringing the Frogs within one of the Terrapins. Two made free throws for the Terrapins and a final bucket from the Horned Frog Korte rounded out the first half with the Terrapins leading the Horned Frogs, 12-11.

After the game, Terrapins head coach Mike Lyons recognized the importance of the teams’ one-point first-half lead.

“It was a good first game,” Lyons said. “The other team was big and it was a good first match-up. We got off to a good start feeding the ball down low and taking advantage of mismatches. We also saw what we needed to work on.”

In the second half a quick turnover would jump start the Horned Frogs who came out of halftime determined to take control of the game. A long pass by Flory to Korte exhibited the team’s good ball handling skills. After a set of missed free throws, a jumper and a lay-up from Flory added four points to the team’s tally.

The Terrapins matched the Horned Frogs intensity finishing out the third quarter ahead of the Frogs by two points, maintaining a 19-17 advantage. The point advantage came after the Terrapins fought back with two baskets, including a shot late in the third from Chris Lyons. Kale Moore and Blaine Kaehr also contributed to their team by hustling and good shot selection. Coach Lyons said he would be staking his faith on Moore and Stuart in having the potential to be standout players this season.

“Both Taylor Stuart and Kale Moore will be tough match-ups for our opponents,” Lyons said. “They are both tall and fast.”

Horned Frog Dillon McIntyre elevates and releases the shot against the Terrapins on Saturday at Langston Hughes Elementary.

Going into the fourth the Terrapins gave themselves some breathing room with two buckets, including one from Austin Noll.

The Horned Frogs wouldn’t go away, sinking two baskets. Flory would sink a shot bringing the Horned Frogs within four late in the game. A bank shot from the Frogs’ McIntyre followed by a bucket apiece for Will Pellett and Forio allowed the team to jump out to a two-point lead over the Terrapins, 27-25.

Their first lead of the game was short lived as the Terrapins answered back with two buckets, including a Stuart jumper giving them back the lead, 30-29. A final field goal from Moore sealed the game for the Terrapins.

With 20 seconds left in the game, the Horned Frogs needed a spectacular three-point shot to pull off the victory. Twenty seconds just wasn’t enough for the Frogs as they fell to the Terrapins 32-29 to open up the 2006 Hoopster Junior High season.