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The Mineral Point boys basketball team pressured visiting Pecatonica, and used a balanced offensive attack, to cruise to a 63-39 non-conference victory Saturday afternoon.
The Vikings found themselves facing an intense full court pressure right from the onset of the game, which helped the Pointers use an 8-0 run (with baskets from Trevor Wendhausen, Ian Ewers, and Blake Weier) to take a 15-6 lead before Jon Hendrickson scored with 38 seconds left to make the score 15-8 at the end of one.
Pecatonica was able to settle down and solve the press a bit in the second quarter, outscoring the Pointers 13-5 in the middle of the frame, with seven coming from Drew Schliem. It seemed as if the Vikings might be able to carry some momentum into the halftime break, but Sy Staver would have none of it, drilling a three pointer as the horn sounded to keep Mineral Point in front 28-21.
The Pointers picked up right where they left off and used a balanced inside/outside attack to extend their lead to 45-27 by the end of three. Big man Cory Schultz tallied eight points in the frame and Staver accounted for the other nine. Both Pec field goals came from Schliem.
Turnovers did in any hopes of a Pec comeback in the fourth as the Pointers compiled a 14-0 run in the middle of the period that put the nail in the Vikings' coffin.
The Pointers had an impressive four players reach double digits--Staver with 22, Wendhausen added 13, Ewers chipped in 11, and Schultz tallied 10.
Schliem registered 21 points for the Vikings with Hendrickson adding 10.
"We expected their pressure," said Pecatonica coach Matt Fink. "And I don't think we handled it as bad as the final score might indicate. It's something we can't really simulate in practice."
"I'd like to see us improve our attack, but I think this game was a better outing than our first of the season. Point is a very good team--they created a lot of mismatches. We tried to neutralize their guard play with our zone, and I think we did in that second quarter, but that was a big three point shot before half that really put momentum on their side. Our lack of depth hurt us when we had to go back to our man defense."
"Overall, we're in a building phase with our program, and what happens in this second game of the year isn't going to define our 20 game season. These kids have the right character and attitude, and we hope to continue in the right direction," said Fink.
"I felt we came out with better intensity tonight, but it lagged a bit in the second quarter," said Pointer coach Dan Burreson. "We did a better job in the second half."
"In the first half, Ian did a great job offensively, and in the second half, I felt it was a total team effort, especially on the defensive end. Cory was more active, and Sy took charge, as I expect him to do. Overall, we did a good job of getting the ball where it needed to be."
"Credit Pec though--we knew they wouldn't go away, and they didn't," concluded the coach.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
BOX SCORE
P: 8-13- 6-12--39
MP: 15-13-17-18--63
PECATONICA (fg-ft-tp) 39: Norton 1-1/6-3, Schliem 9-1/3-21, Chandler 0-3/4-3, Shilling 0-1/3-1, Conwell 0-1/2-1, Hendrickson 4-2/2-10. Totals: 14-9/20-39. Fouls: 14. Three pointers: Schliem 2.
MINERAL POINT (fg-ft-tp) 63: Staver 8-1/2-22, Ewers 5-1/2-11, Poad 2-0/2-4, Wendhausen 6-0-13, Schultz 4-2/2-10, Weier 1-1/2-3. Totals: 26-5/9-73. Fouls: 20. Three pointers: Staver 5, Wendhausen 1.