After beating Clarinda and Red Oak in Hawkeye 10 action, the Trojans boys basketball team was looking for their third victory in a row on Friday, Jan. 24. The boys traveled to Saydel. The match against the Eagles was the first of three new games added to the Trojans’ schedule, with the other two contests being against Maryville and Des Moines Lincoln.

Saydel’s record was 1-11, while Atlantic was one win shy of .500 at 5-6. The Eagles hadn’t won a game since their season opener, and the Trojans were on a two-game winning streak at the time of play. 

The starting lineup was comprised of sophomore Dayton Templeton, juniors Grant Sturm, Skyler Handlos, and Craig Alan Becker, and senior Nile Petersen. 

After tip-off, Atlantic found themselves in a heated ball game. The Trojans were down by two at the end of the first quarter, and continued to push the issue in the second. Though Atlantic hung with their rivals, they were behind 35-33 heading into the locker room. 

A strong third quarter sent a message to Saydel. Both teams played defensively, but Atlantic had the upper hand heading into the fourth. With a three-point edge, the Trojans focused on putting up points in the final frame to make their lead grow. The Trojans splashed in 19 points in the fourth quarter, edging Saydel 52-49. This was the boys’ third victory in a row.

Against Saydel, three Trojan boys finished in double figures. Handlos led the team with 14 points. Right behind him was Sturm and Petersen, with 11 and ten points, respectively. The team also had six steals and five blocks. 

With the win, the boys’ record is even at 6-6.