Offensive struggles doom Norse boys

Whitehall slowed Melrose-Mindoro down, but they couldn’t get their own offense going in a Dairyland Conference loss last Tuesday.

Whitehall led at halftime, but managed just 12 points in the second half as the Norse pulled ahead and went on to win by double digits. Last Friday’s game against Blair-Taylor was postponed until Jan. 20, due to the snow storm that hit the area on Friday.

That loss put Whitehall behind schedule in its quest for a Dairyland Conference Large Division title as they’re 0-1 in conference play and 1-2 on the season.

Whitehall hosted Augusta on Tuesday of this week and will welcome Eleva-Strum on Thursday before a 13-day break.

Mel-Min 46 Whitehall 34

Three pointers put the Norse ahead, but they couldn’t keep up the pace in the second half.

The Mustangs scored seven of the first nine points in the game, but Whitehall surged back to take an 8-7 lead.

Mel-Min scored the next three points before Seth Lamebck connected on consecutive three pointers, putting Whitehall ahead 14-10.

Whitehall was still ahead at the end of the first half before Jonathan Thorn drilled a three pointer at the buzzer to give his team a 22-16 lead at the intermission.

The Mustangs began the second half with a 12-1 run to pull ahead. Thorn connected on another three pointer to get his team back within two, but they’d managed just eight points the rest of the way.

Mel-Min mostly struggled offensively too, outside of Tristan McRoberts, who scored 24 points on nine-of-13 shooting. The rest of Mel-Min’s team shot nine-for-33.

Isaac Skoyen led Whitehall with 10 points, Thorn scored eight, Lambeck and Devon McCune both had six while Preston Schroeder and Luke Beighley both had two points.