By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School boys basketball team is playing in a lot of tight games this season. The Elks must deduce how to tilt those tight margins in their favor.
Elkhorn lost two Southern Lakes Conference games at home last week – each by less than 10 points.
The Elks lost 77-70 Dec. 18 to Lake Geneva Badger and lost 72-63 to Burlington.
“A frustrating week, overall,” Elks coach Josh Skatrud said. “There seems to be a pattern to our games – poor start, and by the time we get back on track it is a little too late.”
“Hopefully we can play better over break. We have a week and a half off from games, so hopefully we can reset and come back with a good stretch after Christmas.”
Elkhorn (2-5, 0-4 SLC) played at Edgerton Dec. 22 in a non-conference game. The Elks resume play after breaking for the holidays Jan. 2 with a non-conference game at Stoughton (3-2).
The Elks trailed 46-25 at halftime and rallied to outscore the Badgers (2-5, 2-2 SLC) 45-31 in the second half.
“We had a really bad first half,” Elks coach Josh Skatrud said. “Poor defense, bad shots and we got sloppy with the basketball.”
Skatrud said the Elks whittled Badgers’ lead to four points behind some big shots from Jack Keller. Alex Easterday led the Elks with 21 points. Keller added 15.
Jake Berhorst led Badger with 18 points, one of three Badgers in double figures.
A similar pattern emerged in the Elks’ loss to the Demons (4-1, 3-1 SLC).
“We had a bad stretch in the first half when we didn’t get out on Nick Klug (Burlington’s best player) and he knocked down some threes,” Skatrud said. “We cut it to five several times in the second half but couldn’t get it any closer.”
Burlington led 43-32 at halftime. Elkhorn rallied in the second half and outscored the Demons 31-29.
Easterday scored a game-high 28 points. Dayne Fisher added 21 for the Elks. Nick Klug led Burlington with 27 points.
Elkhorn is winless against Burlington since the teams joined the current incarnation of the Southern Lakes Conference in the 2009-10 school year.
