Republished from the Columbia Missourian

The Rock Bridge boys basketball team began its season with a 58-44 victory over East High School Friday at the Jack Bush Tip Off Classic in Kansas City.

The Bruins, who had lost eight players since their trip to the state quarterfinals last spring, are a young team and are still getting used to each other.

“This team is pretty new to varsity,” assistant coach Quentin Mitchell said. “You could tell a lot of people were still getting their feet wet.”

Mitchell, who was unable to provide statistics, commended junior guard Nick Norton for his strong performance.

Mitchell also highlighted the performances of seniors David Leitao, Alex Henderson and sophomore Ryan Kreklow, but said that Rock Bridge needs to work on finishing strong and reducing turnovers.

“There is still a lot for the Bruins to work on,” he said. “A lot of times we tried to make passes and plays that just weren’t there.”

The Bruins play again at 8 p.m. Saturday against Christian Brothers College in the Norm Stewart Classic at Columbia College.

Original: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/156483/rock-bridge-boys-basketball-starts-season-with-a-win/ (with paywall)