Sports
Sho-Ban loses to Rockland, Merzlock enjoying first year coaching Chiefs
Sho-Ban Chief Jackson Amboh looks to pass in the game against Rockland Tuesday, January 12 at home.
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The Sho-Ban Chiefs lost to the Rockland Bulldogs in Tuesday night’s January 12 home game 23 to 73.
Chiefs Coach Daren Merzlock said the team got off to a slow start.
“It seems like it takes us a half to wake up and then we kind of start having some fun and moving the ball. We just got to play the basketball the way we know how, they’re all talented kids,” he said.
Merzlock liked their effort more in the second half and said they need to bring the effort in all four quarters. He’s hoping their next games they will stay mentally tough and ready to go.
Sho-Ban Chiefs coaching staff at the game.
However, the team is young, although they have some seniors they’re also still learning the game.
“We just got to keep working hard and just keep grinding away and getting better,” he said.
The Chiefs are half way through their season. At the beginning of the year they made some goals, one was to get more wins and go 6-1, which their Coach believes is an attainable goal. He said their schedule at the beginning of the season was brutal and they only have two more road games, but he feels like if they start playing as a team they can win the rest of their games.
The Chiefs will face Leadore on Friday, January 15 at 5 p.m. He feels they compete well with them and they’re a good team who challenges them. He said it’s possible they could’ve beaten them last time if it hadn't been for mistakes late in the game.
Sho-Ban Chief on offense headed to the hoop against Rockland.
This is Coach Merzlock’s first year with the Chiefs, which he says he enjoys.
“Hopefully, there’s many more to come – I enjoy spending time with the kids, I enjoy being here and I want to see them succeed, not only on the basketball court, but in life,” he said.
Merzlock graduated from Highland High School. He attended Idaho State University where he got a degree in sports management. He’s part of the Positive Coaching Alliance. He has experience coaching baseball, basketball and football, most recently he coached Pocatello High School’s freshman football team as the defensive coordinator.
Merzlock says he loves sports and he loves being around the players because it’s a lot of fun.
The Chiefs assistant coach is Richy Gaona who gets the boys prepared before every game.
Braden Brunette guards.
High scorer for the Chiefs was Jackson Amboh with 9 points, Adrien Honena had 3 points, Braden Brunette had 3 points, Jason Navo had 2 points, Tre Dixey had 4 points and Daniel Tarness had 2 points.
Scoring for Rockland was J.T. Parish with 8 points, B. Permann with 13 points, E. Hall with 6 points, W. Matthews with 6 points, M. Jensen with 11 points, T. Mathews with 7 points, B. Perman with 11 points, and L. Farr with 10 points.
Recreation News
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