Aspen b-ballers win at Hotchkiss

The two Aspen High School basketball teams traveled to Hotchkiss this weekend and came home with two wins.

The AHS boys collected an easy 21-point win Saturday night, 65-44. Aspen led from the outset, winning the first quarter 17-7, then the half 37-17.

Meanwhile, the AHS girls “squeaked out” a win, according to coach Lance Finkbeiner.

AHS senior Nick Farrell led the boys with 22 points, followed by Josh Lackey with 11.

The girls, however, won a clutch play by a freshman guard.

“It was a tie ballgame with under 30 seconds left, and Carly Magill basically beat their full-court press by herself, basically dribbling through five different people,” the coach said.

“She made a layup and got fouled on it, and then made the free throw.”

Magill made the Skiers’ game-winning baskets to lift AHS to a 40-37 win.

“Which is pretty cool, to see a freshman stand up in crunch time,” Finkbeiner said.

Seniors Lizzie Suiter and Tara Walker and junior Leandra Sivess shared high-scoring duties for the night, as each Skier racked up 9 points apiece.

The team, now 5-4 in league and 8-6 overall, will face downvalley rival Basalt again on Tuesday at the Aspen High School gymnasium. BHS might have a score to settle with Aspen this week, considering the Skiers’ win over the Longhorns on Jan. 18.

Finkbeiner notes that Aspen is always ready to face a neighbor on the court, but might not be as well prepared as usual.

“I don’t have any doubts that we can beat them, but at this time of the season, we’re kind of struggling,” he said. “We’d rather save our best for the end of the year and peak when we need to.”