Obviously I was pleased with how the guys came out and played. It's one game at a time for us and the first one's done.
This time around, I think our kids are a little bit more mature, a little bit bigger and stronger. With the level of leadership we have, I expect us to be more relaxed.
Zach Finley really had a big game for us tonight. It was good to see because he was due for a breakout-type of game.
I thought it was good for our kids to come out with the intensity they showed. We got in the passing lanes, and obviously, our size was a factor. The kids want to play well in front of some of the former Gaels.
We've been here a few years now. We approach each game as business.
That was really big. The kids realized Zach wasn't there and they stepped up.
Colby never really did get his stroke going like he did last year. I told my assistant coaches that one of these nights he's going to go off. He picked a good time.
I was pleased with how the guys executed in the first and third quarters especially. We showed a lot of intensity, especially on the defensive end, and that was the difference for us tonight.
After taking the press off we just want to get in the passing lanes and play good half-court defense. We're trying to pride ourselves on getting big stops in key situations. In practice this week, we worked on the communication side of defense and I thought it showed.
The Hill City kids played hard and fought.