YOUR AD HERE »

Utah team edges out Tigers girls

Late free throws send Hayden basketball to season-opening loss

Joel Reichenberger

— The bright side, Hayden girls basketball coach Eric Hamilton said with a deep sigh, is that there was a lesson learned.

“God, I wish I had called a timeout,” he said Thursday evening. “It was bad coaching. I should have called it. Live and learn.”

Hamilton said his self-diagnosed mistake cost his team a chance to take a late lead in its first game of the season against Altamont, Utah, in a tournament in Meeker. Instead, an Altamont player caused a turnover and eventually drew a foul. She made both of her free throws and sent the Tigers to a 46-44 season-opening loss.



“They were pretty tough. It was an awfully good game,” Hamilton said. “We just made a couple crucial errors there at the end.”

Hayden got the ball in a tie game with about 20 seconds remaining. Rather than call a timeout to set up a play, Hamilton let his girls go. The team couldn’t get a shot off and turned it over, leading to the decisive free throws.



That’s what made the difference in a contest that was tight throughout. Neither team led by more than five points.

Hayden was led by Sam Huffar, who came off the bench to drain three 3-point shots. She finished with 11.

The Tigers play again today against the loser of the Telluride and Meeker game.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.