Sam Kuhna ’13 | Staff Writer

In the final week before the break, the Nuggets suffered a heartbreaker to the Thunder, 44-41.

Coming into the game, the Thunder, a team comprised of North and U of D students, were the clear cut favorite. Last season, they dropped only one contest during the regular season. The Nuggets entered the game at 1-2.

Early in the game, the contest looked as expected. Missed shots led to quick baskets for the Thunder, helping them garner an early 12-2 run to start the game. However, the Nuggets were not worried as they knew they would get back into it once the shots started to fall.

“I was feeling it today,” said Hans Brieden ’13. “I had the magic touch.”

After a fast start, both teams settled into a slower paced game played mostly outside the paint, leaving the better shooting Thunder with a 30-22 lead at the half. The Thunder were lead by Keith Abdenour ’13 (UofD) and his three point shooting, while the Nuggets had no one player leading them in the first half.

The second half, however, was a different story. The Nuggets comeback was led by the unlikely scoring tandem of Brad Kohut ‘13 and Brieden. However, Brieden was on the bench for the entirety of the fourth quarter and still led the team with a team high 11 points.

“He needed a rest,” said head coach Max Mager ’13 of Brieden. “But he did his job.”

The Nuggets used these two players and great defense to get the game within reach coming down the stretch. They cut the deficit to only two points at the end of the third quarter.

When the fourth quarter came, it was time for Kohut to take over. With back and forth scoring continuing, it was the unsung hero Kohut who had six straight points to begin the fourth quarter and keep the Nuggets in the game, tying the game at 37.

“I was just trying to win the game,” said Kohut ’13.

With the game tied at 37, a lack of rebounding and free throw shooting was the downfall for the Nuggets who fell to 1-3.

The Nuggets will look to take this break as an opportunity to improve, and work on getting a good seed for the playoffs.

Photos By Mikey Sullivan ’13