Don't Look Now; Heights Has Won 3 Straight

When I was speaking with Heights coach Joe Auer earlier this season, he said something that I think could be the theme for the Falcons this season. He said when you're as inexperienced as Heights is this season, you don't care how you win - as long as you win. Last season, when Perry Ellis was en route to his 4th straight state title, a 1-point win at home over South would be nearly unacceptable. But this year the Falcons are still integrating an overhauled roster to the varsity level, so last night's 44-43 win over South is as good as any.

After a 1-3 start to the season, the Falcons are riding a 3-game winning streak and are above .500 for the first time this season. It hasn't been aesthetically pleasing, but Heights has found a way to come out victorious in its last three games against on the road at Northwest (53-40), Hutchinson at Koch Arena (45-43), and at home against South (44-43). For such an inexperienced squad to pull through with two close victories like that, Auer must be ecstatic with how his young team is responding to challenges early in this season.

Last night the Falcons faced plenty of adversity when their shots - nearly all of them - stopped falling and they mustered only 2 points in the third quarter against South. The Titans took complete advantage by scoring 15 and taking a 31-28 lead into the final quarter. Heights could have folded and let one it should have won slip away. But it didn't and the Falcons executed down the stretch to barely hold on to the victory.

Heights will put its winning streak on the line this Friday when it hosts Southeast in what I like to call a "swing" game. I call them that because I feel like the game pits two teams evenly matched against one another, which makes those games even more important. If Heights can pull that one out, it would be 5-3 and have sole ownership of 4th place in the City League entering its mid-season tournament at McPherson.

Junior Ealy Bell has been the leader for the Falcons this season, averaging a solid 12.9 points after 7 games. The breakout star has been Semaj Hervey, who has stepped up and hit some big shots, including the game-winner against Hutchinson, and is averaging 11.3 points as a sophomore. Seniors Chris Reed, Jet Moreland and Jordan Wilbeck have all been solid and sophomores Cameron Ellis and Chris Lowe have begun to emerge as the season has progressed. Chase Arnold is a bundle of energy off the bench for the Falcons and has incredible athleticism. The talent is there for this team to contend in the City League and beyond and its development is probably ahead of schedule.

I asked Auer after the Hutchinson win what it was like for the Falcons to be winning games like that after out-classing so many teams the last five seasons with such talented teams. He responded that he's having as much fun as ever because this team has talent, too. This team is not going to win like last year's team did, but Heights is still a good defensive team that is learning how to win games differently this season. The Falcons are proving a lot of doubters wrong right now and Auer has a chance to show that they will not be suffering the cliff drop that many predicted before the season.