craigdailypress.com

The Steamboat Springs boys basketball team likes it at the top.

"We know that every team we play is going to give us their best effort," coach Kelly Meek said about his Western Slope League-leading team. "We should want it that way, because it makes us prepare better."

The Moffat County High School Bulldogs came out with their best effort in the first quarter against the Sailors on Tuesday night. Bolstered by seven points from junior Kevin Loughran, the Bulldogs led 11-7 after the first quarter.

The Sailors opened up the second quarter with a 10-0 run to take the lead, and they never looked back. The visitors held off a couple of late surges from the Bulldogs for a 47-38 win Tuesday night.

"We overcame a sluggish start," Meek said. "We didn't defend well or do the things we should on offense early."

Although Steamboat found its rhythm in the second quarter, the Bulldogs found the slump that has been all too common during a five-game losing streak. Moffat scored a total of eight points in the second and third quarters.

"I thought we got good looks," Moffat coach Mike LeWarne said. "We were more patient on offense, but nothing would fall."

The Sailors were ahead by as many as 12 points in the third quarter.

But Meek was not surprised that the Bulldogs found some fight again in the fourth.

Moffat had four different players hit 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Junior Derek Duran hit two free throws with 54 seconds remaining to bring the Bulldogs within five, 37-42.

"I thought we loosened up a bit in the fourth quarter," LeWarne said. "We found some openings and hit some shots."

The Bulldogs have lost five straight and seven of the last nine.

The Sailors play Glenwood Springs on Friday. The Bulldogs host Rifle.