The grind didn’t stop for the boys basketball team over winter break. Atlantic faced off against Lewis Central, Winterset, and Shenandoah, as well as having practice.

On Friday, Dec. 20, Atlantic hosted Lewis Central in a conference matchup. The Titans were 3-1 when they tipped off against the Trojans. In Hawkeye 10 play, Lewis Central topped Red Oak and St. Albert. The Trojans were 2-3, with victories over Clarinda and Kuemper Catholic. 

Atlantic’s offense got a chance to shine against Lewis Central. The Trojans showcased their shooting ability from both in the paint and from behind the arc. They played Lewis Central close, but ran out of real estate in a narrow 51-47 loss. Senior Nile Petersen had a standout night with 24 points. Against Lewis Central, Petersen put up the most points in a single game for his career. 

Atlantic was back at it the following night. This time, they took on Winterset. The Huskies were rated the top team in class 3A by the Iowa AP poll. They were also 4-1. The Huskies stuck it to the Creston Panthers earlier in the season, a team that edged Atlantic in the final minutes. 

Both teams played a crafty game. The Trojan defense did all it could, nabbing more rebounds. Atlantic lost to Winterset, 59-50. Leading the Trojans in scoring was junior Skyler Handlos with 23 points. Petersen had a double-double, netting 11 points and grabbing 15 boards.

Shenandoah was the final opponent for Atlantic over winter break. The Mustangs were 1-7. The Trojans knew this game was an opportunity to snag a win and end their two-game losing streak.

Atlantic did just that, capitalizing on Shenandoah miscues to cop the dub, 57-45. Handlos led the team with 16 points. Junior Craig Alan Becker finished in double digits with ten points. For the second game in a row, Petersen recorded a double-double, as he notched 14 points and a whopping 18 rebounds.