Before Tuesday night, the Pleasant Ridge boys’ basketball team hadn’t played a home game since Dec. 4.
A change of scenery only helped them continue their dominance, though, as the rowdiness of the Ram fans and a 25-point performance from Matt Hager led them to their 13th victory in 14 tries this year with a 58-30 humbling of Horton.
“When you get to be 10-1, 11-1, 12-1, you’re taking everyone’s best shot,” Rams’ head coach Pat Battle said. “It’s hard to take everyone’s best shot in their own backyard. We did that for two months, and that was brutal. But I’m hoping that will make us a better team in the long run.
“This is a great place to come watch a basketball game, and it’s a great place for us to play. When I came here six years ago, that was a big part of the decision to come here was witnessing how these kids get behind our kids.”
The blitz was on from the very beginning on Tuesday night. Not taking Horton (now 2-13, 1-5 in Delaware Valley League play) for granted, the Rams jumped out to a 6-0 lead and forced the Chargers to use a timeout fewer than three minutes into the game.
Horton hung around for a while with a strong effort from Taylor Olson, who finished with 12 points to lead the Chargers, but PR (13-1, 5-0 in the DVL) put them away for good late in the first quarter and early in the second by getting out in transition.
*For more on this story, contact the Leavenworth Times at 913-682-0305 and subscribe to the printed edition of the newspaper.
To subscribe to the Times, call 682-0305 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or click on “subscriber services” link on this Web site and e-mail Barb Daniels at paidcirc@kansasmediaone.com.
Rates: For delivery by mail in Leavenworth County it is $33.12 for 3 months ($30.87 subscription, $2.25 sales tax); $63.79 for 6 months ($59.45 subscription, $4.34 sales tax); or $121.51 per year ($113.24 subscription, $8.27 sales tax).
For delivery by mail outside of Leavenworth County it is $162.90 per year.
The Leavenworth Times also is available at newspaper racks located around Leavenworth and Leavenworth County. Newspapers at the racks cost 75 cents Tuesday through Saturday.
