Though the losses continue to build, and the frustration is palpable, Christian Zera says the players on the Upper Perkiomen boys basketball team remain positive. 

                "What we want to do is break through this wall of losing and push towards another victory or two," said Zera, a junior forward. "We want to finish the season on a good note."

                On Tuesday, the Indians continued their struggles in a 66-29 loss to visiting Boyertown in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. A difficult second quarter sealed their fate.

                Zera finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds - his second double-double of the season – to pace Upper Perkiomen, which managed just three points in the second quarter.

                Matt Ruskey's 3-pointer from the right wing early in the second put the team ahead, 15-14.  "We constantly preach to the guys that they have to play 32 minutes," head coach Jared Krupp said. "We played a good first quarter, but it really didn't matter."

                The Bears responded by scoring 22 consecutive points in the second quarter. Eight different players scored during the flurry.  Boyertown took advantage of eight turnovers by the Indians to take a 39-15 halftime advantage.

                Upper Perkiomen (0-8 PAC-10, 1-12 overall), which missed their final seven shots from the field in the quarter, did not score again before the half.  The team's shots just weren't falling in the second, according to Krupp.  He said that early in the year, his team shot relatively well from the field but struggled to get good shots. 
                "We seemed to do a better job running the offense and offensive issues taking care of the ball," Krupp said. "We had some open shots, but they weren't going down."

                Meanwhile, Boyertown utilized a significant size.  Rob Merwarth pulled down eight rebounds in the quarter, including six offensive boards. Ben Longacre converted consecutive 3-point baskets during the decisive flurry.

                "The Bears took advantage of our weakness," Krupp said. "They pounded the ball into the post. And they killed us on the boards."

                The Indians held forward Nate Weinstein out of Tuesday's game for precautionary reason after he suffered an ankle injury five days earlier in a 74-28 PAC-10 loss to Methacton. 

                "Not having Nate didn't help," Krupp said.  Weinstein is expected to play Friday when the team travels to Owen J. Roberts, according to the coach.

                All season, Krupp said he has not viewed the success of the team in terms of wins and losses. 

                "As long as the team gets better every day, I consider that a victory," he said. "The players, especially the younger ones, are keeping their heads up. They are responding to what we are asking them to do. We're getting better in practice every day."

                Merwarth and Longacre each finished with 11 points to pace the Bears (4-4, 8-7), who snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory.

                Jerry Kapp, a freshman, contributed nine points and Colton Moyer added eight points for Boyertown, which began play 1 ½ games out of the second place in the Liberty Division.

                "We've got a great group of kids who work extremely hard and play very well together," Boyertown head coach Mike Ludwig said. "The rest of the season is going to be very interesting."

                "This group of seniors has been working real hard for three years to reach the Final Four. Getting there would be quite an accomplishment."