The Colton boys varsity basketball team lost in a blowout game, 65-42, against the Fontana Steelers which left the Colton home crowd silent. It was a game dominated by Fontana’s explosive high-octane offense and lock-down defense. However, the varsity squad put up a good fight and comeback strategy, scoring 42 points total, which was bigger than what they had to end halftime (17 points). Although, in the end, it was Fontana who left Hubbs Gym with the victory.

When the first quarter of their fifteenth league game began, the Steelers came out on a real hot streak, scoring nonstop with their fast-breaks. Fontana’s Erik Hernandez and Luis Montano led the charge with a combined 20 points to fill the scoring gap for most of the first half. Although the Steelers’ were in control, it didn’t leave Colton high and dry. Senior Shooting Guard, Noah Martinez, helped get the Colton squad back into the rhythm and flow of the game with a couple of three pointers from beyond the arc. Following that up were junior Forwards (Small and Power), Isaac Arias and Frederick Malone, who put up a combined 8 points to get back from what was already a deep scoring gap.

As the second quarter began, the flow and rhythm that Colton once had became into a tight ball game. Both teams fought and struggled for supremacy, blocking shots and getting nonstop steals, which led the question of: who would eventually gain the advantage? That question was soon answered after two minutes as Fontana began where they left off and commanded the offensive glass for a good portion of the half. Colton would try to dig themselves out of the scoring hole that they were in before the quarter ended by using tremendous defense, getting steals and multiple blocks, creating a lot of offensive opportunities for themselves. Malone would contribute those opportunities, having ten points in the paint, slowing down Fontana. However, the Steelers’ offense caught up to Colton and it was just enough to end the half in a double digit lead over the Jackets.

After halftime, the Colton Boys had gained a comeback from Fontana’s dominant performance in the first two quarters, scoring nonstop threes and fast break layups to boost the team’s confidence. Martinez continued the offensive momentum that he brought at the beginning of the game, having a total of fifteen points to keep the team in the fight. Although the leading scorers for the Steelers, Hernandez and Montano, found an advantage to this fight and gained the upper hand with a combined fifty-one points. This would then pave the way for the rest of the game, ending the match up in the away team’s favor, 65-42.