By Brock Stafford | Beacon sports editor

Bass Lake Canoes boys’ basketball team battled to a hard-fought 61-48 loss Friday night at Private Military Academy, in a Moonshine Conference matchup.

PMA entered the game with a record of 16-1 — then proceeded to exit the game at 17-1.

The Muskets are currently ranked 2nd in the region in Class 1A, 4th in 2A and 8th in 3B. Yet the Canoes (3-14, 1-10 Moonshine), whose last victory came in December during the Obama administration, didn’t give up, battling basket-for-basket after the game was out of reach.

PMA didn’t take its first lead until 45 seconds had elapsed, and never trailed again.

Canoes coach Zeb Dreppelin said his team’s performance was never enough, but far better than anyone expected.

“I’ve said it again and again, I don’t believe in moral victories,” Dreppelin said. “But this was the greatest moral victory in school history!”

PMA coach Sgt. Shriver Sargent took the win in stride.

“It’s Friday night all over again,” Sargent said. “At ease.”

Bass Lake’s leading scorer was junior guard Bucket Buckminster, who came off the bench to score 11 of the first 18 of the team’s final 27 points.

PMA statistics were not immediately available, since the team had to rise at 0400 today to run the obstacle course.

Efforts by the Beacon to obtain an official box score through the Freedom of Information Act were unsuccessful, after the FOIA request was denied under guidelines of the Patriot Act.

“We’ll FOIA you right back,” said Ronnie, headmaster of Private Military Academy, in a prepared statement.

• Next up for Bass Lake: Prairie Valley, Feb. 17.