Cold Start Costs Arcs in 55-45 Loss to SPIRE Academy
| 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARC | 5 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 45 |
| SPI | 15 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 55 |
A frigid opening quarter proved too much to overcome for the Arcs boys basketball team, which fell 55-45 to SPIRE Academy on Tuesday afternoon at Brush High School in Lyndhurst.
SPIRE seized control early, outscoring Brush 15-5 in the first quarter as the Arcs went scoreless over the first five minutes. Brush (13-8) struggled to find any rhythm offensively through the opening eight minutes, and the early 10-point deficit set the tone for the rest of the game. SPIRE’s balance and efficiency from the field created a gap that Brush spent the remainder of the night trying to close.
Offensive execution remained an uphill battle for the Arcs, who finished the game shooting 30% from the floor. SPIRE countered with a 43% shooting clip and did even more damage from long range, hitting 47% of its 3-point attempts. Each time Brush appeared poised to build momentum, SPIRE’s perimeter shooting or timely baskets kept the hosts at arm’s length.
Despite the slow start, the Arcs settled in during the middle quarters, defending with more urgency and gradually chipping away at the deficit. Brush tightened up on the perimeter, closed out better on shooters and began forcing tougher looks. That defensive improvement, combined with more patient half-court offense, allowed the Arcs to remain within striking distance heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter Brush made its strongest push, trimming the margin to just six points as the Arcs finally found some consistency on the offensive end. However, SPIRE responded with key scores to halt the comeback bid, and Brush was unable to come up with the baskets needed to completely erase the early damage. The Arcs never led at any point in the game.
Junior guard Javion Sanderson paced Brush with 14 points, including three 3-pointers that helped ignite the offense after the sluggish start. Forward Reginald Smith Jr. added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds, giving the Arcs a presence on the glass and in the paint. Their efforts helped Brush stay competitive deep into the second half despite the overall shooting woes.
