The Bowie Jackrabbits played only one game last week and made it count as they traveled to Wichita Falls High School.
The Jackrabbits won 65-59 in a game where they never felt totally comfortable or secure.
The Coyotes came out in a man-to-man defense, but they were the first team to switch everything on defense. For Bowie, who is a heavy screen team, this took them a second to get used to and then exploit.
It was the first game Daniel Mosley was back from an ankle injury that sidelined him the previous week. He made his presence known early as Wichita Falls had no answer inside. A perimeter-based team that liked to get up and down the court, it was a clash of styles. The Jackrabbits started good and got out to a 19-13 lead in the first quarter.
At times Coach Jonathon Horton went with a big lineup with Jed Castles out there next to Mosley to form an imposing paint presence. The Coyotes would try to lure one of those two away from the basket to try and guard on the perimeter while the rest of their team would try to crash the offensive boards.
To counteract this, Horton would sub in Evan Kennedy to have more of a perimeter-based lineup while Braden Armstrong would slide in to the other post position.
At times it worked and Wichita Falls would outhustle Bowie for offensive rebounds, something they have struggled with this season. Still the Jackrabbits offense, able to break the Coyotes press consistently all night to create three on two situations, was scoring at a better rate and led 38-28 at halftime.
Wichita Falls picked up the intensity by hitting a few shots and getting the ball to Kobe Graham, who Bowie had a hard time trying to stop on isolation plays. Graham finished with a game high 23 points. The Jackrabbits lead had shrunk to 50-46 heading into the fourth quarter.
Playing with a lead has been a point of emphasis for Horton since he feels like they have let a few games slip through their fingers this season. Bowie did a nice job of balancing taking time off the clock and scoring as the lead never got down to one possession.
The Coyotes made the Jackrabbits work by drawing fouls constantly getting to the free throw line. Some late game mistakes will certainly be film room fodder for games down the road, but the Jackrabbits were able to hold on and win 65-59.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.