The SHS boys basketball team was handed a tough loss by the Pike Red Devils on Feb. 26 in the first round of sectionals at Perry Meridian High School. The Cards finish the season with a final record of 11-13.

The game was fought hard throughout. However, the Red Devils just made more plays, according to senior Brevin Jefferson. And according to senior Chaz Hinds, the Cards could have performed better on defense and been more aggressive.

“We played at their tempo…,” Hinds said, “not ours.”

The score of the game was back and forth with multiple lead changes throughout the first half. After the first quarter, the Cards were up by four, but Pike came back to tie the game at 31 points each going into the third quarter. The third quarter was much like the first half until the final minute and 30 seconds. The Cards were trailing by one, but the Red Devils broke away and took a 12 point lead by the end of the quarter.

“When Pike made their run, I felt we needed to shift momentum back our way,” Jefferson said.

The final quarter resembled the first two with a lot of even scoring for both teams. The Red Devils extended their lead to 14 points and walked away with a 75-61 victory.

“We couldn’t really get a stop,” Hinds said. “They were hitting a lot of buckets.”