Saturday, Feb 12 On Saturday we took on a short-handed but skilled and well-coached Exeter squad. The first 8 minutes were back and forth with both teams more comfortable on defense and neither offense really clicking. The game was tied at 16 – 16 with about 3 minutes to go in the half but the next three minutes were not some of our best as we gave up 10 points and only scored two to go into the halftime break down 26-18. Exeter then scored the first 8 points of the second half and we find ourselves down by 16 with just over 13 minutes to go. Play went back and forth for the next several minutes but we were unable to chip away at the lead, still down fifteen with under nine minutes. Henry Griffin ‘24 hit two free throws after a good drive where he was fouled in the act of shooting to lead a small flurry where we got some key rebounds from Eddy Rena ‘24 and Xavier Aviles ‘24 and managed the lead down to 10 with 6:30 minutes left. A slashing drive by Max Peh ‘24 got us to single digit deficit for the first time since the start of the half. A scrambling defensive set capped by a good box out led to another slashing drive this time by Kiernan Keller ‘22 and we’re down to six. We stayed 6-8 points away but as we get under two minutes we almost let it slip away as we give up a layup followed by a turnover to go down again by 8 and Exeter had the ball with just under two minutes to go. The last two minutes were scrappy with neither team really able to control things but courtesy of a 3 from Kiernan, and two free throws from Max, we get within three with 17 seconds to go. We’re able to hold them and get the ball back but a last second effort to tie it up just doesn’t fall.