In a battle of top ranked teams in the state, the Apple Valley Eagles prevailed over the Royals 96-90.

From the start, Tuesday’s game had a different feel than any other the Royals have participated in this season. There was not a seat to spare in the student section, and the rest of the stands were packed to near capacity.

“It was really fun. The atmosphere was awesome, and I’m glad so many people made it out to the game,” said Stephon Sharp, senior. “It gave us more energy right from the opening tip.”

The game marked the debut of the student section’s new jerseys. The jerseys, embroidered with the name ‘Lindbergh Loonies’ on the front, have created a new way for students to feel like they’re a part of the action.

“The goal of the jerseys is to unite the superfans together and give us authenticity. The jerseys make us seem more official and legitimate,” said Liam Perkins, senior. “They turned out really well. We had the opportunity to customize the nicknames on the back as well as the numbers.”

Even though the purpose of the jerseys was to feel legitimate, the jerseys themselves are quite unconventional. Numbers on the back ranged from -20 to dollar signs to a winking emoticon, and the nicknames were just as unique.

The game itself was a highly competitive affair, featuring several lead changes and momentum swings throughout. A run from the Eagles to end the first half gave them a 53-45 lead.

In the second half, noise level in the Lindbergh Center reached its peak after the Royals took the lead late in the game after four consecutive three pointers from Jake Wright, senior captain.

“When Hopkins tied it up and gained the lead towards the end, it was wild,” Perkins said.

Hopkins second half lead wasn’t a long lasting one. After an Apple Valley timeout, the Eagles regained their composure and rallied off of the play of their point guard, Tyus Jones.

Jones, Apple Valley senior captain, proved why he is the most highly ranked high school basketball player in state history. Jones, who committed to play at Duke University on November 16, scored 34 points and had several highlight passes. His play, especially in the second half, was the main reason the Royals suffered their first defeat of the season.

Bouncing back from their first loss will require the Royals to improve in several aspects.

“Our rebounding and defense both need to show improvement if we want to reach our potential,” Sharp said.

If the Royals are able to reach the potential they say is there, Lindbergh Center will continue to provide an electric atmosphere for winning basketball.