Veritas' Peter Shin, left, chases for a loose ball with Wichita Homeschool Bryce McClure (10) Tuesday, Dec. 13 2011, at the Eudora Community Center.

The Veritas Christian School boys basketball team essentially played just three quarters of Tuesday’s 45-36 loss against Wichita Homeschool.

After a dismal all-around second quarter, the Eagles found themselves down 15 at the break. They did come back to score nine straight in the fourth quarter, which brought the deficit to six, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.

“We just dug ourselves too big of a hole to come up all the way out,” Veritas coach Gary Hammer said.

The guards had difficulty getting the offense going against Wichita’s pressure defense. In that second quarter, that undid Veritas (3-3), and the Eagles were outscored 18-4, allowing the Warriors to roll off a 16-point run. Veritas’ offense spent more time turning the ball over than trying to shoot with it. Hammer said the youth on a team that has one senior revealed itself many times.

“We need to get our underclassmen comfortable out there, and the only way is to experience it,” Hammer said. “It’s like baptism under fire.”

Junior Thomas Bachert, who had six points in the game, likened his team’s attitude to that of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who has made a name for himself with miraculous comebacks.

“He’s always like, ‘In times of peril, get closer,'” Bachert said. “I think that’s something we’re trying to do – when times are tough, get closer. On another side of it, we’ve got to learn not to get behind.”

Senior Elijah Penny led the team with 15 points.

Veritas will play Whitefield Academy at 7 p.m. Saturday.