By Mike Maltais
The Liberty Bell High School junior varsity basketball squad may be playing in the shadow of the Mountain Lions’ varsity, but that fact has not cooled a string of impressive results for the 12-3 team so far this season.
Recent wins by the Liberty Bell JV include an 88-51 home victory over Bridgeport Jan. 14, followed by a hard-fought win over visiting Brewster, 68-60, and a 79-18 margin over the Trojans at Manson Jan. 17.
“We average three players in double figures each night, which makes us hard to defend,” said coach Rick McCauley. “It changes from game to game as players step up and cover when other players’ offense may be off, but they always contribute with defense.”
Lake Roosevelt handed the Mountain Lions one of their few losses Jan. 21, but the JV players quickly recovered to defeat Oroville on the road, 83-31, on Jan. 28.
McCauley said his team’s defensive and offensive strategy is to average 64 points a game on offense and hold opponents under 10 points a quarter on defense.
“This is a very exciting group to watch and to coach,” McCauley said. “A very well-balanced team.”
The JV has two games remaining following a rematch scheduled with Manson Tuesday (Feb. 4). The Mountain Lions will travel to Lake Roosevelt Friday (Feb. 7) and finish at home against Oroville on Feb. 14.
