Eagles Battle Life Prep, Come Up Short in Topside Opener
December 11, 2025
The Colby High School boys basketball team opened play at the Topside Tip-Off in Goodland with a challenging first-round matchup against a seasoned Life Prep squad, ultimately falling 66-57 in a game that tested the Eagles’ resolve but also revealed their growth and competitiveness against a high-level opponent.
Colby entered the tournament still early in its season, while Life Prep arrived with significant experience, having already played more than a dozen games. That difference showed early. By the time Colby settled into the game midway through the second quarter, the Eagles were facing a sizable deficit as Life Prep used its size, athleticism, and quick execution to jump out to a commanding lead. Life Prep’s physical presence around the basket and ability to convert in transition created problems early, forcing Colby to play from behind.
Despite the slow start, Colby never stopped competing. Jordan Jones helped stabilize the offense with an acrobatic finish in traffic, and the Eagles began to find rhythm from the perimeter. A pair of three-pointers helped trim the gap and provided a glimpse of the fight that would define the rest of the night.
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That resilience carried into the second half. Josiah Hoppe opened the scoring with a three-pointer to pull Colby within striking distance, and Corbin Curry added a strong finish inside as the Eagles chipped away. Jones continued to attack downhill, scoring through contact and creating opportunities when the defense collapsed. Each time Colby found momentum, Life Prep answered, keeping the lead hovering around double digits.
The third quarter showcased Colby’s best stretch of basketball. Ball movement improved, and the Eagles began to exploit gaps when they moved the ball side to side. Hoppe knocked down another three, Cody Wright added a timely triple, and Colby forced key stops that allowed them to stay within reach. Still, Life Prep consistently countered with buckets of its own, extending the lead late in the quarter and preventing Colby from completing the comeback.
In the fourth, the Eagles continued to battle. A highlight alley-oop from Curry to Jones demonstrated the chemistry developing within the lineup, and Jones followed with another tough layup in traffic. However, mistakes proved costly against a disciplined opponent. Life Prep capitalized on turnovers and defensive lapses, including a momentum-shifting dunk that reinforced the uphill climb Colby faced.
Head coach Reed Stephens praised his team’s response after halftime, emphasizing effort and growth rather than the final score. “Yeah I was really pleased with the way we fought the entire second half. We talked at half about not giving up, that the game wasn’t over and I think we really responded well to that and came out and gave them our best shot, unfortunately we came up short but we have nothing to hang our heads on,” Stephens said.
Stephens also highlighted the quality of the opponent and what the performance revealed about his team. “They are a great team, they have played 11 or 12 games now and have only lost one, so I was really proud of our guys. I think we showed we can play with anyone.”
Jones led all scorers for Colby with 25 points, showcasing his ability to score at all three levels. Hoppe added 12 points, while Wright finished with seven, Curry six, Dixon four, and Joslyn three. Stephens noted Jones’ early-season form, saying, “Jordan is a great player, and we try to put him in a position to have success. He can score at all three levels, and so it’s nice to see he is catching his stride so early in the season.”
While the loss dropped Colby to 1-1, the performance left the coaching staff encouraged. “I was really proud of everyone though, each player on our team contributes, and none of them gave up,” Stephens said.
Colby now turns its attention quickly to the consolation round. “We have to have a short memory on this one and move on to tomorrow against Wray who we don’t know a ton about,” Stephens said. “So we will focus on doing the things we need to do as a team to have success and that will hopefully help us bounce back tomorrow. That is our next game.”