The Reeths-Puffer boys basketball team made it close on Tuesday, but still could not avoid its fourth straight loss.
A rough second quarter and poor free throw shooting put the Rockets in a hole, and they ended up falling to Sparta 59-54 in a non-conference matchup at R-P’s Dan Beckeman Arena.
Sparta only led by one, 13-12, after one quarter, but used an 18-9 advantage in the second quarter to grab a 31-21 halftime lead.
The Rockets got back in the game by outscoring the Spartans 19-10 in the third quarter, and only trailed 41-40 heading in the fourth.
Marvin Moore, who scored 24 points.
Marvin Moore scored eight points in the third for the Rockets, Rodney Walker added five points (including a triple) and Justin Chan had four points.
The visitors stole the win with an 18-14 advantage in the fourth. Sparta sealed things up by making 8 of 10 free throws in the quarter.
Overall the Spartans were 18-for-26 from the line, while R-P struggled, making only 6 of 15 free throws.
“We got beat on the boards again, and we did not make our free throws,” said R-P head coach JR Wallace. “We are just not being the scrappier team that we need to be. Sparta wanted it more than we did tonight.”
Moore led the Rockets with 24 points, Hank Mitchelson and Artis Williiams each scored seven and Justin Chan had six.
R-P, now 1-4 on the season, will play Lowell on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Cornerstone University.