---

As first games go, Saturday afternoon's showing wasn't bad for either Mineral Point's or Pecatonica's boys basketball squads.
But the coaches of both teams each found things they needed to improve upon as the year goes forward.
The host Pointers used a strong second quarter to build a lead they would never relinquish en route to a 56-44 non-conference win to start the 2014-15 season.
It didn't take defending SWAL champion Mineral Point long to strike as senior Joey Gorgen drained a three at the 7:12 mark of the first quarter. The Pointers went on a 6-0 run midway through the first period, but a three form Viking Logan Green with 1:40 to go stopped the bleeding for Pecatonica and helped pull them within 12-9 at the end of one.
Mineral Point faced some shooting woes in the first and second quarters especially as they were getting good looks but couldn't knock them down. However, their transition game was excellent and forced several Pecatonica turnovers that were converted into points. An 8-0 stretch during the first half of the second frame, with four coming from Tarek Oellerich, helped give the Pointers a double digit lead at 23-11. Viking A.J. Hendrickson scored the final hoop of the half with 1:06 to go that saw Pec trail 26-16 at the break.
Hendrickson had the hot hand to begin the third quarter, hitting a three and a deuce, that cut the Viking deficit in half quickly. The Pointers responded with a 9-3 burst, five courtesy of Oellerich. The rest of the quarter was back and forth, and neither team scored during the final two minutes as the hosts still led 41-30 with eight minutes remaining.
The Pointer lead ballooned to 52-33 at the 5:05 mark of the fourth, thanks to baskets from Gorgen, Oellerich, Sy Staver, Turner Poad, and Alec Schmitz. However, the Vikings proved they still had fight left in them and went on a 9-0 run, thanks to Hendrickson, Kyle Kleppe, and Cory Linder, to get the lead back to just ten for Point with 2:41 to go. That would be as close as Pec would get, however.
Hendrickson was the top Viking with 15 as Brooks Chandler chipped in 10.
Point was led by Oellerich with a game-high 19 points, followed by Staver with 14 and Poad adding 10.
"We got off to a great start," said Pecatonica coach Matt Fink. "I thought we executed our defensive game plan well, but good teams like Mineral Point are going to make shots. They have played together a long time and it shows."
"We gave up too many turnovers and easy baskets in transition. I thought we shot well, perimeter wise, and our on-the-ball man defense was good and were able to have more success against their zone in the second half."
"Kyle Kleppe played well for us off the bench, and A.J. Hendrickson and Brooks Chandler had solid games, as did Logan Green. Overall, there are many positives for us to take away from today's game," Fink said.
"This was a good test for us today," said Pointer coach Dan Burreson. "This has become a little bit of a rivalry over the years."
"They shot well. Anytime we were a half second late, they made us pay for it, and I think they shot over 50% from three. We were getting great looks, but we missed a lot of shots I think we will make most of the time."
"We shared the ball well, which really has become a trademark of ours lately and is an essential part of who we are as a team. Tarek Oellerich and Sy Staver led the way today, but it could be a different guy any night."
"Our transition game was good, as was our defense at times, but we are only two weeks into this and we have a lot of things to work on," concluded Burreson.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
P: 9-7-14-14--44
MP: 12-14-15-15--56
BOX SCORE
PECATONICA (fg-ft-tp) 44: Chandler 3-3/5-10, Wahl 0-0/2-0, Kleppe 2-0/2-6, Hendrickson 6-2/3-15, Green 3-0-8, Linder 2-0-5. Totals: 16-5/12-44. Fouls: 15. Three pointers: Green 2, Kleppe 2, Chandler 1, Hendrickson 1, Linder 1.
MINERAL POINT 56: Staver 6-2/2-14, Gorgen 2-0-5, Oellerich 9-1/5-19, Poad 2-5/6-10, Schmitz 2-2/2-6, Blume 1-0-2. Totals: 22-10/15-56. Fouls: 13. Three pointers: Gorgen 1, Poad 1.