To end the week, Atlantic boys basketball played two contests, one at home and one on the road. 

On Thursday, Feb. 13, the Trojans took on Maryville. This was the final new opponent the Trojans had to face this season, with the other two being Des Moines Lincoln and Saydel. The Spoofhounds made the 92-minute trip to Atlantic with a record of 8-8. The Trojans were 7-10 and in a two-game skid.

Head coach Jeff Ebling sent out sophomore Dayton Templeton, juniors Grant Sturm, Garrett Reynolds, and Skyler Handlos, and senior Nile Petersen for the start of the game.

The two squads tipped off, and the Trojans came out strong on offense. The Spoofhounds countered, tying the game up at the end of one, 12-12. In the second quarter, Maryville tacked on 16 points to their score and limited the Trojans to eight, grabbing the lead at the half.

Atlantic started off the third quarter strong, sinking shots from all spots on the floor. Looking to chip away at the Spoofhounds’ lead, Atlantic was down 42-32 heading into the final frame. The boys put up 14 points in the fourth quarter, but struggled to slow the Spoofhounds’ offense. Atlantic came up short, 58-46.

Against Maryville, two Trojans finished in double figures. Handlos splashed in 14 and Sturm contributed ten, hitting two three-pointers in the process. Defensively, Petersen grabbed 12 boards.

The following evening, the boys headed to Council Bluffs to take on St. Albert. The Trojans were 7-11 and the Falcons were 7-13. St. Albert was coming off a narrow loss to Treynor, 56-49. This was the first time Atlantic and St. Albert had competed in the 2019-20 season.

The starting lineup included Templeton, Handlos, Sturm, Petersen, and junior Craig Alan Becker. 

In the first quarter, the Falcons played a scrappy game, stealing the ball from the Trojans. St. Albert had the edge, 13-11, going into the second period. Atlantic quickly changed the tide, putting up 18 points to take the lead. The boys shared the ball, bypassing St. Albert’s defense.

The Trojans remained dominant in the second half. In the opening minutes, the boys put up 21 points and held the opposition to nine. Atlantic was firmly in the lead going into the final frame, 50-30. The boys stayed with it, splashing in 19 points en route to a 69-49 win on the road.

Handlos led the team, hitting 22 points in the contest. Templeton and Petersen also finished in double digits, chipping in 14 and 13 points, respectively. Against the Falcons, Petersen had a double-double, as he snatched 11 rebounds. The team had two blocks–both credited to Handlos–and 19 assists. Sturm led the squad in assists with seven.

Next up for Trojan boys basketball is a rematch against the Harlan Cyclones on Monday, Feb. 17 in Atlantic.