The Sturgeon Bulldogs pushed their score all the way to 55 on Thursday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They fell just short of Smithton by a score of 57-55. While losing is never fun, Sturgeon can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Missouri basketball rankings (they are ranked 338th, while Smithton is ranked 135th).
Despite the loss, Sturgeon had strong showings from Connor Lawson, who scored 18 points along with seven rebounds and three steals, and Isaac Bolles, who scored 22 points. The contest was Bolles' fifth in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Kayden Miller, who scored five points along with three steals.
Sturgeon's loss was their third straight on the road, which bumped their record down to 1-4. That rough patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 51.0 points per game. As for Smithton, the win got them back to even at 2-2.
Sturgeon will look to defend their home court on Saturday against Jamestown. Jamestown is still on the hunt for that elusive first 'W'. As for Smithton, they will square off against Kingsville at TBD on Saturday.
