By Taylor Lee
Berthoud Recorder

A slow start in the first quarter proved to be too much for the Berthoud Spartans’ boys’ basketball team to make a comeback Tuesday night in a 63-53 home loss to the Mountain View Mountain Lions in the consolation bracket of the 4A Northern Conference tournament.

The loss dropped Berthoud to 0-3 in the tournament entering Thursday night’s home game against Roosevelt. The loser will finish in last place in the conference tournament.

The Spartans fell behind by 15 points in the first quarter. Joel Maly and Ryan Barron scored Berthoud’s only six points in the quarter. Things didn’t get much better going into the second half with the Mountain Lions up 30-17 at halftime.

Things started to look up for the Spartans in the third quarter. Berthoud’s Shane Hart closed the gap to four points going into the fourth quarter. Then Maly tied the game at 42-all after back-to-back baskets. But the Spartans weren’t able to pull ahead. A late foul on Mountain View’s Brady Bullock, who hit two free throws, sealed the win for the Mountain Lions.

“The turnovers were too much in the first half. We need to get back on defense and run the floor, but our chemistry was great in the second half,” Hart said.

“Everyone’s attitude are a lot better and everything just started clicking for us in the second half,” Maly added.

Maly led the Spartans with 20 points and Hart scored 11. Mountain View was led by Bullock with 27 points. Jason Boynton added 14 points.