Wallowa boys’ basketball got off to a somewhat rocky start in 2011-12, an 0-3 showing for week number one.

On a more positive note, all three games were close. Wallowa lost its opener at home to Enterprise, 45-40, on Wednesday, Nov. 30; fell to Stanfield, 72-61, on Friday, Dec. 2; and suffered its third loss of the week, 54-48, against Irrigon on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Cougars played Stanfield and Irrigon at the two-day Echo Invitational Tournament.

Wesley Conrad and Pablo Duque set the scoring pace for the Cougars against Enterprise. Conrad scored 14 points and Duque had 13. Other Cougars with tallies included Dusty McDaniel with seven points, Pierce Millar with four, and Derek Shike, two.

After Enterprise built a 24-18 halftime lead, the Cougars closed the gap in the third, and fourth-period action began with the teams tied at 31.

The Outlaws canned the Cougars’ chances, however, by knocking home three three-point goals in the final stanza.

“We had our chances,” Wallowa Coach Warren Wilson said. “Our inexperience showed up.” One big problem in the contest: “We missed too many inside shots,” the coach said.

Against Stanfield, the Cougars benefited from another strong offensive effort from Duque, who had 16 points, two short of teammate McDaniels’ leading total of 18. Shike put in 12 points, Conrad eight, Millar six, and Mason Hafer one.

Saturday’s Irrigon game saw the Cougars outscoring the Knights by thin margins in the second and fourth quarters. For the game, Conrad led Wallowa with 12 points, McDaniel and Duque had nine each, Shike eight, Kody Swift seven, and Millar four.

Wilson credited his team’s defensive effort. The Cougars were contending with the Romero brothers: big brother Jose, a 6’5″ junior, who turned in 17 points, and freshman Adrian, 6’0″, a speedy freshman guard who scored 16.

On offense, Wallowa used a running game last week, a test of the players’ conditioning. Wilson said they came through it well enough, so WHS will continue with its fast-paced offense.

One problem that bit the team too often in week one was blown layups. Wilson said it’s a mental thing that the players should be able to overcome.