Credit to Brianna Dunham

Francis Howell North versus Francis Howell Central was, as per usual, a huge game for FHN. The doubleheader, taking place on FHN’s homecourt, was a high energy matchup, with FHN now sitting at a 4-7 record. This contrasted to FHC’s 9-8 record and would set a tone for the game as it began.

As it progressed, Central would go on an early run, with the defense having no answer for them. Central would go five for six from three in just the first quarter, which increased their lead to seven. Central would then work to grow this lead throughout the second half, peaking at a lead of 23. But Cohen Oster, a sophomore point guard for North, never lost hope.

“You just gotta know that the game’s not over until it’s over,” Oster said. “If the team lets you get back in the game, you gotta get back in the game.”

And this mentality worked out. The lead would drop as low as three with two and a half minutes left after huge defense from North, including a very pivotal three-pointer from Jackson Calhoun. The players knew why they came back so quickly.

“Defense. Offensively and defensively, we were clicking,” Daniel Martin, a center playing for North, said. “It was just coming down to the wire, and getting those big buckets at the end, fighting our hardest.”

But, unfortunately, the win did not fall in North’s hands despite a huge effort. After many intentional fouls in a North effort to regain possession, the game would end 64-76 in Central’s favor. This, however, would not shake North’s spirits, even after the game.

“All the loss will really do is make us better,” Martin said. “We’re gonna come out the gates firing and really focus on not letting them shoot threes. A big factor of tonight was to try to hold them on the under for those threes, and they got them.”