The student section was packed as the Raiders prepared to take on the Indians of North. In their previous match up, South won by a slim, four point margin. The crowd was expecting another win, and that’s exactly what they got. South got its fifth victory of the season Friday, Jan. 6 with a 61-46 win over North. The Raiders jumped out to a commanding 13-4 lead, with 11 early points from freshman Dainan Swoope. They didn’t let up from there, shooting 50 percent from the field, and scoring 61 points; the second most this season. The crowd went crazy after North called their first time out early in the game.
“We were all going crazy; it was like they couldn’t miss a shot,” sophomore Andrew Zahnd said.
Early in the second half, North cut the lead to four. The Indians trailed, 39-35, but couldn’t completely close the gap. This was largely due to South’s lock down defense. Swoope led the team with five steals, followed by junior Jake Caldwell, who had four. The team also did a good job of moving the ball, getting everyone involved, and especially converting on turnovers. Sophomore point guard Devin Newsome showed off his ball handling skills, and even scored 15 points.
Despite a close game against the Indians earlier this year, the Raiders came out with intensity, and it showed in an impressive victory. The excitement of the fans showed as well, when they began chanting, “If you’re winning and you know it clap your hands.” The Raiders play their next game Thursday Jan.19, at a tournament in Chanute.
By Garrett Mould