A young Galena High boys basketball team put its feet to the fire right away in a 52-43 loss at home against Utah power Orem on Wednesday in the season opener for both clubs.
"They'll be a top team out of Utah," said Galena coach Tom Maurer about Orem. Maurer's teams always play a tough schedule and the tough schedule will continue over the weekend when Galena travels to the Bay Area to play St. Francis on Friday and Archbishop Mitty on Saturday.
"Right now I'm playing with a bunch of very young kids," Maurer said. "It's a great opportunity. I'm looking at a real positive than a negative."
Maurer said he hopes to develop a deep rotation early in the season, saying he'll give his young players "an opportunity to show me they can play."
Galena trailed 26-22 at halftime and actually took a one-point lead in the third quater before Orem regained control.
"They had a lot of teaching and a lot of learning and they're going to learn more," Maurer said.
One of Galena's veteran players, Derek Lorenzen, led the Grizzlies with 19 points.
