The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate basketball team played its final game of the season on Friday, March 7, losing to Eaton 70-46 in the state playoffs.
Despite the loss, first-year head coach Brandon Forster suggested he is excited about the progress the team made throughout the year and noted that the team made steps on its way to their goal of a state championship.
“Overall, it was a good season,” he said. “I think it was a step in the right direction, but we have to keep working.”
The Pirates traveled to Eaton for a game against the No. 7 Reds on Friday, March 6, after receiving the 26 seed in the tournament.
Forster’s keys to the game were to defend the paint, take care of the basketball and to get out in transition, and indicated he felt the boys executed these well in the first quarter.
The Pirates were up 10-7 after the first eight minutes, but the Reds took over the rest of the game.
Eaton scored 23 points in the second quarter to take the lead and never gave it back to the Pirates.
Despite the final score, Forster explained he felt like the game was never truly out of hand and he was proud of the way the boys fought the entire four quarters.
The Pirates defended the paint well and got out in transition, noted Forster, but a myriad of missed shots close to the rim in transition is what hurt them the most.
“Tough game, tough loss,” said Forster. “I thought Eaton was really good. [They] had some big guys, and they knocked down shots when they needed to.”
Stats for the game were not available by press time Wednesday.
After the game, the Pirates definitely felt the disappointment and sadness of losing and the season ending, but they were appreciative as well of how fun the season was, noted Forster.
The team ended the season with an 11-12 overall record and 8-4 league mark.
Going into the season, Forster’s goal was to start to build a program as a first-year head coach. He noted he felt that he was able to build that foundation this year, especially with the help of his seniors.
Creede Dozier, Jerry Dean, Ty Richey, Jayton Ross, Jeremiah Jones and Bode Hubbard all played their final game in a Pirates uniform against Eaton.
“You know, for me, this season, year one, I’m taking over a program,” Forster said. “Couldn’t ask for a better group of seniors to lead that out.”
Now Forster will look to Duke Ketchum and Koen Pitcher to step up next year and fill the shoes of these seniors, he indicated. Ketchum slotted himself into the starting lineup midway through this season and Pitcher will look to be the Pirates new man down low.
Forster stated he is also excited about the rising junior class, a lot of which got valuable varsity minutes this year, and their potential to be impactful next year.
This year was the first step, stated Forster.
Next year will be year two of Forster at the helm and, now that the foundation is built, the team will continue to build to its goal of winning a state championship, noted Forster.
“The goal is to win it all,” he said. “It doesn’t happen overnight.”
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