Dodgers use depth to get past Blue Devils

Dodgeville’s boys basketball team had to use the “next man up” theory in their 74-52 non-conference win over Evansville Tuesday.

Dodger coach Matt McGraw was forced to sit some starters the first half when they ran into foul trouble which put the team’s depth to the test.  The good thing is the Dodgers aced the test.

“We had some foul trouble in the first half and had three starters have to sit for about nine minutes,” McGraw said.  “Our depth is a key and we didn't lose much during that time.  That was a big part of the win.”

Four of the Dodgers finished in double figures led by a 25 point outburst from Bryce Crubaugh-Lockard.  He had 10 the first half and 15 the second.

Andrew Hessling and Isaiah Argall both put up 11 and John McGraw 10.  Jayce Halverson just missed adding a fifth player with eight points.

“Having four in double figures and two points from having five is a really good sign for us,” McGraw said.  “Bryce played  especially well again tonight.  He has been solid at all three levels, at the rim, midrange and from three point.  Andrew and John both had really nice games working from inside out and Isaiah came alive from three point land.  Jayce didn't have as many points as he sometimes does with eight but again that shows our depth.  It can be a different guy stepping up each night.”

The Dodgers had a 15 point lead at the half but the Blue Devils started to chip away and had the lead down to nine with 13 minutes left. But just like that the Dodgers got a three straight three pointers push it back to a comfort level, 49-35.  The threes came courtesy of Brock Fockler, Crubaugh-Lockard and McGraw.

The rest of the game belonged to the Dodgers.

“The guys played a really solid game tonight overall,” McGraw said.  “It was one of our most complete games of the season.  I feel like we keep growing as a team which is fun to see.  Even in a couple of our recent losses we could see the direction we are headed.  Tonight we continued in that direction.”

McGraw is optimistic about where the Dodgers are heading.

“Our young team is figuring it out and it's fun to be a part of it,” McGraw said.  “The challenge to them is to keep it going.”

SCORE BY HALVES

Evansville 23 31 54

Dodgeville 38 34 72

BOX SCORE 

EVANSVILLE 54: (fg-ft-tp) M. Wickersham 8-0-18, K. Tway 2-7-17, H. Larsen 1-4-6, M. Brown 2-0-5, H Thies 2-0-4, C. McCullough 1-1-3, T. Louis 0-1-1, K. Johnson 0-0-0, A. Ross 0-0-0, B. Bergum 0-0-0, L. Dalsen 0-0-0, W. Garetson 0-0-0. Totals 17-13/21-54. Fouls- 16. 

DODGEVILLE 72: B. Crubaugh-Lockard 9-3-25, I. Argall 4-0-11, A. Hesseling 4-2-11, J. McGraw 3-2-10, J. Halverson 3-0-8, B. Fockler 2-0-5, D. Marr 1-0-2, G. Busch 0-0-0, J. Graber 0-0-0, J. Olson 0-0-0, B. Stodola 0-0-0. Totals: 26-7/11-72. Fouls- 18. 

3 Point Goals:

EV- M. Wickersham 2, K. Tway 2, M. Brown 1.

DV- B. Crubaugh-Lockard 4, I. Argall 3, J. McGraw 2, J. Halverson 2, A. Hesseling 1, B. Fockler 1.