Niwot boys basketball defeats Skyline to snap cold streak

The Niwot High School boys basketball team (4-4) faced off against the Skyline High School Falcons (3-5) this past Friday, playing their first game of the new year. The Cougars were triumphant in their return as they won in a nail-biting 59-53 win, snapping a streak of four straight losses, putting them at 4-4 on the season.

The 53 points allowed were highlighted by a second-quarter defensive shutdown that resulted in only six points notched by Skyline, with Niwot's 22 points in the fourth quarter factoring towards the come-from-behind win.

Niwot's 11 points in the first quarter kept them in the game against Skyline's 14 points. The second quarter helped propel Niwot slightly ahead of the Falcons, as the Cougars put up 10 points leading 21-20 at halftime.

Niwot split the third quarter 16-17, so when the fourth quarter rolled around it was all tied up at 37-37. The fourth quarter stayed close, but the three steals and two blocks changed the game, resulting in fast break points, flipping the score, and giving Niwot the win.

The stat sheet was highlighted by senior Jerek Funkhouser who notched a 26-point double-double with 12 rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Senior Julian Lettow and sophomore Jack Jarvis also put up points in the double digits, notching 12 and 10 points, respectively.

In addition to Funkhouser's 12 rebounds, Jackson Carnano's eight boards led the group, with Zachary Dawson's six rebounds not too far off. Guard Jack Jarvis dominated assists, notching seven of the team's 14.

Now at .500 on the season, things have quickly taken a turn for the Cougars, as they now have more wins this year than they had all of last year. The senior class is playing like veterans, and the two sophomores (Jarvis and Drew Stapp) have stepped up their roles, giving Niwot a new look, and future-proofing what looks to be a legitimate threat to anyone in the league.