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The Mineral Point Pointers toyed with their youthful foes from Pecatonica High School Saturday afternoon in Blanchardville and trailed 18-16 with three minutes left until intermission - before going on a dominating 38-11 run to seal the Vikings' fate over the course of the next 11 minutes - en route to a 68-46 thumping of their non-conference opponent.
Coach Dan Burreson's Pointers count on balance night in and night out - and received no less Saturday when 6'2" senior Tyler Wendhausen led the way with 22 points including 15 markers in the second half before heading to the bench in a blowout. Teammate Turner Poad added 11 points and Mineral Point players Chanler Leonard and Alec Schmitz both added 9 and Sy Saver chipped in with 8 in the victory.
The Pointers stole the ball from Pecatonica players on five of the Vikings' first six possessions of the third quarter, a period in which Mineral Point outscored Pecatonica 30-11, and on the heels of holding Pec to only one point in the entire cond quarter.
The Vikings had played well early and, had connected on open shot opportunities and held a 17-11 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Junior Drew Schliem led the Vikings with 12 and freshman teammate A.J. Hendrickson added 9.
"Pec has a nice, young team and they were going to come into it confident and were going to get after us and they did," said Burreson. following the contest.
"We were a half step slow- early in the game. They (Pec) have a lot of guys that can shoot the basketball and they knocked down shots there in that first period. Then we slowed ed things down and finally did a better job covering shooters. We've got some experience, some energy and I really like the mentality our guys bring to practice each day - and into games. That's Mineral Point basketball.
"When we talked at halftime, I felt our defense had to create some things for us - and we got more to our style of tempo in the third quarter. After the half, we didn't let them catch the ball where they wanted to and we pushed them further out - where they picked up their dribble and we got into the lanes more effectively - and that's how you get 30 (30 points in a single period).
We really played Mineral Point basketball for that 10 or 11 minute spell of late second and third periods. As for our scoring balance, we put four or five guys out there who can score and if we move the ball the way we can, it makes it tough for opponents to defend us," added Burreson.
"We must get better at everything - it's November, going into December - but I like our kids approach and mental approach. The kids get along really well. They come to practice ready to work and they get better each day - and not all teams do that as a season moves along."
Disappointed by his team's performance over the middle two periods of play, Pecatonica second year mentor Matt Fink acknowledged there were a few bright spots - to go along with the disappointment associated with suffering a lopsided, home court loss.
"We knew coming in that Mineral Point was as good a team as we're going to see all year,' said Fink.
"We're a good enough team to make Mineral Point go to a zone defense to slow us down - so maybe that's one positive we can take away. You just don't account for them having four guys, all of whom can put the ball on the floor and go to the lane so effectively," added Fink.
"They have some length - and are so quick to the ball and gave us fits there in the third period. At times we put kids out there today that haven't seen this type of speed from an opponent. It's just an adjustment period and we'll be alright. When good teams snowball like that - games can get away from you in a hurry, " added Fink.
"I told our guys afterward - if we don't let it (the setback) be an issue - it won't be an issue - and we'll work on getting better."
"Early we spaced better, got depth on our penetration and found guys open on kickouts. Essentially - we did just what Mineral Point did during their run. It's an easy game when shots are going in and we were making shots early, before they went to the zone and slowed us down - and we got out of our comfort zone."
"I felt we moved the ball pretty well though in the first quarter."
Pecatonica hosts a Six Rivers Conference Eastern Division perennial power - the Barneveld Golden Eagles tonight (Thursday) in Blanchardville at 7:30 p.m.
The Pointers travel to iowa-Grant that same night in SWAL action.
MP 68 PEC 46
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MP 11 13 30 14
PEC 17 1 11 17
MINERAL POINT (fg-ft-tp) Sy Saver 3-1-8, Joey Gorgen 1-0-3, Tarek Ollerich 2-0-4, Turner Poad 4-0-11, Alec Schmitz 3-2-9, Trevor Wendhausen 9-1-22, Chanler Leonard 2-5-9, Taylor Ryman 1-0-2. Totals: 16 (9) 9-13 68. Fouls: 9. Three pointers:Wendhausen 3, Poad 3, Saver, Gorgen, Schmitz.
PECATONICA (fg-ft-tp): Chase Norton 2-0-4, Drew Schliem 4-1-12, Zach Shilling 3-0-8, Kole Kent 1-5-7, Kyle Kleppe 1-0-3, A.J. Hendrickson 4-1-9, Logan Green 1-0-3. Totals: 9 (7) 7-10 46. Fouls: 10. Three pointers: Schliem 3, Shilling 2, Green, Kleppe.
JV game: MP 43 Pec 26