Poor start plagues Spartan men

The first four minutes of the Southwestern men’s basketball season proved to be too much to overcome in an 80-58 loss to Southeast (Nebraska) Community College Wednesday night.

The Bobcats raced to a 14-0 lead before freshman guard donnary Fontenot finally put the Spartans on the board with a jumper in the lane at the 15:27 mark of the first half.

The rest of the first half was played on an even basis as Southeast took a 40-27 lead into intermission. The Spartans ignited some excitement in the home student section by pulling within six points at 45-39 early in the second half, but the rally was short-lived.

The Spartans were whistled for six personal fouls in the opening four minutes of the half, putting the Bobcats in the bonus free throw situation for the duration fo the game. That, combined with foul trouble plaguing key Spartan players, allowed Southeast to pull away for the 22-point victory.

Two minutes after SWCC trailed by six points, they faced a 56-39 deficit after Southeast’s 11-0 run.

“We settled in at the start of the second half, but we couldn’t string together stops,” SWCC coach Shane Sweany said. “They were in the bonus with 14 or 15 minutes left. That’s a lot to overcome and it led to the score. We try to teach our guys not to foul but we bailed them out a lot.”

During a timeout in the second half, Sweany stressed the importance of “little things” that can make a difference in every possession.

“We have to take care of the basketball better,” Sweany said. “We had 19 turnovers, which is never going to win you games. We didn’t box out and gave up some crucial offensive boards. Just the little things that we have to do to be successful.”

Nine difference Spartan players scored, led by 6-7 post player Fatih Huyuk of Turkey with nine points. Point guard Justin Bussey, Fontenot, James Braddy and Andrew Scoggins each scored eight points.

The Spartans play at home again Friday at 7 p.m. against Graceland JV.

SOUTHEAST — (80) — Totals — (FG FT PTS) 25 17-27 80. Carson Brown 7 2-3 20, Miles McGriff 6 5-7 18, Radek Pulsipher 6 4-5 17, Jaden Jenkins 3 2-3 8, Kenyon Williams 2 0-0 6, Justin Bolis 1 3-5 5, Carson Leslie 1 1-2 3, Ryan Gummer 1 0-0 3. 3-point goals (8) — Brown 4, Williams 2, McGriff 1, Pulsipher 1, Gummer 1. Team fouls — 17. Fouled out — None.

SOUTHWESTERN (58) — Totals — (FG FT PTS) 20 11-14 58. Fatih Huyuk 4 1-2 9, Donnary Fontenot 3 0-0 8, Justin Bussey 3 2-2 8, James Braddy 2 2-2 8, Andrew Scoggins 2 3-4 8, Patrick Worrell 3 0-0 7, Bogdan Cret 2 0-0 4, Corbin Dozier 1 0-0 3, Rickie Wright 0 3-4 3. 3-point goals (7) — Fontenot 2, Braddy 2, Worrell 1, Cozier 1, Scoggins 1. Turnovers — 15. Team fouls — 26. Fouled out — Fontenot, Huyuk.