Winning Tigers fall short with loss to top-ranked Florida team 61-51
Matt Harris
Staff writer
1-19-2017
SPRINGFIELD, MA—Performing admirably on their biggest stage this season, the Wasatch Academy boys basketball team fell short of the win at the Spalding HoopHall Classic.
Playing at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Tigers faced their toughest opponent of the season in nationally-ranked IMG Academy, Fla. An early deficit found Wasatch in unfamiliar territory, and the Tigers could never fully recover in a 61-51 loss.
51 is the Tigers’ lowest point total of the season.
Junior Emmanuel Akot led the Tigers with 19 points, four threes, and seven rebounds. Senior Josip Vrankic also chipped in 12 points. Both players are averaging over 16 points per game this season.
Prior to their matchup at the Classic, Wasatch played a nearby opponent, Commonwealth Academy, to compensate for a lost game in the schedule. The Tigers were unable to make the trip to Harcum College in Pennsylvania for their invitational. Wasatch beat the Cougars, 65-50. Stats were unavailable for the game.
Wasatch is next headed to North Carolina to play against Princeton Hall School in Charlotte. They will then head to California for their matchup against Chino Hills, MaxPreps’ No. 1 team in the country. The Tigers will next play at home against Layton Christian on Saturday, Feb. 4.
