Prior to Saturday night’s game against Del Norte High School, the Los Alamos High School boys’ basketball team honored its seniors with a Senior Night celebration. The moment offered a chance to reflect on what the group has accomplished, but also offered a reminder of what this season was supposed to look like.
When the season began, eight seniors filled the roster. Only six are still active. Jack Stewart left the team after Thanksgiving, and Andreas Runde suffered a season-ending leg injury soon after.
The six seniors that remain, Ramon Roybal, Antonio Trujillo, Troy Hammock, Michael Naranjo, Brandan Duran and Ivan Balakirev, have all played big roles this year, but the results haven’t followed.
The team has stumbled to a 9-14 record, including many close losses in recent weeks. That continued against Del Norte, as LAHS fell 55-51 in a game that came down to the final minute.
Hilltopper head coach Mike Kluk said that the team’s inability to knock down shots, and committing too many turnovers contributed to the loss.
“You can’t beat decent teams, and definitely can’t beat good teams, having 17 or 18 turnovers,” Kluk said. “It’s just tough to do.”