There are days you wake up and stub your toe on every piece of furniture.
That was the Lisbon boys’ basketball team Friday, Jan. 9, during a 59-22 home loss to Maquoketa Valley.
“(Maquoketa Valley) came out with defensive intensity, and once the first few shots don’t go in, the rim seems to get smaller and smaller,” Lisbon Coach Levi Montague said.
Lisbon (5-7) didn’t score a point in the first quarter. In fact, they didn’t get the ball through the hoop until about 3:24 left until halftime, when freshman Tyler Kubovec hit a 3-pointer to make it 23-3.
“It was just one of those games,” Kubovec said.
When Lisbon called time out with 4:48 left in the second quarter, they were 0-for-12 from the field, 0-for-2 at the foul line, and had eight turnovers.
“As bad as we played in the first quarter, they only scored 11 points,” Montague said. “Our defense was keeping us in the game.
“Unfortunately, from the second quarter on, we allowed our offense to dictate our defense.”
Maquoketa Valley (8-2) poured it on, winning the third quarter 24-4. Senior Brady Wall finished with 34 points, including seven 3-pointers.
Kubovec led the Lions with nine points.
It was a tough way to end a week that included a road win at North Cedar, 56-43, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and a neutral site win over Durant, 54-47, on Thursday, Jan. 8, at Xtream Arena in Coralville.
Against the Knights, Kubovec had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Carew Kamaus had 13 points and seven rebounds, and Nathan Brown had 10 points and eight rebounds.
Against the Wildcats, Kubovec had 18 points and eight rebounds, Kamaus added 16 points, and Klayton Kahl added nine points.
“We’ve had a few three-game weeks this year, and we knew (Friday) was going to be an uphill battle,” Montague said. “After the first quarter, we just couldn’t dig ourselves out.
“But it was good to go on the road and get two wins.”
Another three-game week is on tap, with a Monday, Jan. 12, trip to Easton Valley, a Tuesday, Jan. 13 trip to Starmont, and a Friday, Jan. 16, trip to Calamus-Wheatland.
“We’ve just got to bounce back,” Kubovec said. “We’ve got some good opportunities to win.”
MAQUOKETA VALLEY (59) – Anderson Holtz 2-6 0-0 4, Brady Wall 13-23 1-1 34, Dylan Knipper 1-1 0-0 2, Lukas Chesnut 0-1 0-0 0, Ty Hoeger 4-8 0-0 8, Preston Salow 1-4 3-4 5, Trevor Grimm 0-4 0-0 0, Zach Leytem 2-2 0-0 6, Kenyon Baker 0-2 0-0 0, Wes Scherrman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-52 4-5 59.
LISBON (22) – Carew Kamaus 1-10 0-3 3, Tyler Kubovec 2-9 3-4 9, Griffin Barber 0-2 0-0 0, Klayten Kahl 1-6 1-2 3, Ian Whittenbaugh 0-4 0-0 0, Nathan Brown 1-4 1-3 3, Bryce Boots 1-2 0-0 2, Charlie McAndrew 0-1 2-2 2, Drayden Nunemaker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 6-38 7-14 22.
Maquoketa Valley 11 19 24 5 – 59
Lisbon 0 8 4 10 – 22
3-point goals – MV 9-23 (Holtz 0-2, Wall 7-15, Chesnut 0-1, Grimm 0-1, Leytem 2-2, Baker 0-1, Scherrman 0-1), Lisbon 3-15 (Kamaus 1-7, Kubovec 2-6, Kahl 0-1, WHittenbaugh 0-1). Rebounds – MV 37 (Hoeger 6, Salow 6), Lisbon 27 (Brown 5). Turnovers – MV 8, Lisbon 13.