This past week the Red Bud Musketeers traveled to Sparta to participate in the Mid-Winter Classic. Last season, the Musketeers lost all four of their games and finished in last place. This year the demons of Sparta continued to haunt the Musketeers. They began pool play action on Tuesday night when they took on the 18-0 Alton Marquette Explorers.

In the first quarter the Musketeers were able to hang with the Explorers. Red Bud broke Alton’s press and get the basketball across the half court line. Unfortunately, after Red Bud moved the ball over the halfline, they were not able to handle the half-court pressure that the Explorers inflicted on them. Blake Cowell had a driving layup and three point field goal in the quarter. The Musketeers trailed 15-7 after the opening quarter. From the second quarter forward, the route was on for the Explorers. They turned the pressure up a notch on the Musketeers, and forced them to turn the ball over and create fastbreak opportunities for themselves. Griffin Ziebold banked in the only field goal of the quarter for the Musketeers as they trailed 36-11 at halftime. In the second half the Explorers continued to apply pressure on the Musketeer guards in the half court and create turnovers. The second half was not kind to the Musketeers, as they were destroyed 66-25. Cowell led the Musketeers in scoring with eight.

In the second night of the tournament, the Musketeers played the Freeburg Midgets. In the first quarter the Midgets came out firing on all cylinders. Their scouting report on the Musketeer’s offense was executed perfectly by the Midgets. Freeburg was able to stop any offensive sets that Red Bud drew up, and like the Explorers, put intense pressure on the Musketeers. Griffin Ziebold had a field goal in the quarter, and converted three of three free throw opportunities in the first. At the end of one, the Musketeers trailed the Midgets 14-9. Just like the previous night after the first quarter the route was on. The Musketeers were battling a team illness and was only able to play this game with eight eligible players. This shortage of bodies gave everyone else extended minutes on the floor. The Musketeers defense began to collapse in the second quarter, and the Midgets were able to expose those weaknesses. Red Bud continued to turn the ball over, and that factored into another large 31-15 deficit at the half. In the second half it was more of the same for the Musketeers. They struggled to stop the Midgets in the halfcourt, and were unable to put the ball in the basket. Red Bud only tallied 11 points in the entire second half, and were eradicated by the Midgets 58-26. Ziebold led the team in scoring with nine points.

On Friday night the Musketeers took on a familiar opponent, the Steeleville Warriors. In the first quarter, the Musketeers came out with a lot of intensity and will to compete. On offense Red Bud was able to feed their post player, Caleb Reichmann, and score some easy baskets around the rim. Reichmann tallied five points in the opening quarter. The Warriors converted a deep three pointer as time expired in the first quarter to hold a 14-9 lead over the Musketeers. In the second quarter the Musketeers again struggled to put the ball through the hoop and score efficiently in the half court. Ziebold was able to attack the rim and get fouled on a couple of occasions. The Musketeers’ defense allowed them to stay in competition and only trail the Warriors 23-15 at halftime. In the second half Red Bud continued to play with intensity and fire, but their offense was not able to produce the adequate numbers to keep pace with the Warrior scoring attack. Cowell had seven points in the third quarter, and Ziebold was able to complete a three point field goal. Red Bud battled the rest of the half, but was not able to complete the comeback. They fell to the Warriors for a third time this season 51-40. Ziebold again led the team in scoring with 16, and went ten for twelve from the free throw line.

On Saturday the Musketeers took on Coach Cruser’s former team, the Waterloo Bulldogs. Red Bud was trying to avoid going 0-4 for the second consecutive year, and end the tournament with a victory. The Musketeers lost another player to sickness and were essentially playing with seven players. In the first quarter the Musketeers were playing with a chip on their shoulders and played well on offense. They were executing their set plays well and had success scoring the basketball in transition. For the first time all week they obtained a lead at the end of the first quarter 12-7. In the second quarter the lack of players began to catch up on the ailing Musketeers. Their defense began to crumble, and fail to stop the Bulldogs in transition. Waterloo had success in pushing the ball up the floor and beating Red Bud to their own basket. Waterloo held a 24-22 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Musketeers again struggled to score the ball. Carter Wiegard nailed a three pointer in the third quarter and Cowell converted a driving layup. Red Bud only scored 11 points in the second half, and lost for the fourth consecutive time in the week. The Bulldogs won 44-33. Ziebold led the team in scoring with 13 points. Red Bud finished last place for the second consecutive year.

Red Bud will have a nice stretch of home games when they take on the New Athens Jackets on Tuesday, and the Gibault Hawks on Saturday. The Musketeers will rest up and hopefully return to full health as they enter the final stretch of the season.