Wildcats sweep Cardinals, Indees in DC play
CJ Dummer of Blair-Taylor released a shot during the second half of their game against Independence/Gilmanton last Friday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
Independence/Gilmanton’s Grady Meier went for a layup during last Friday’s game against Blair-Taylor. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
The Blair-Taylor boys basketball team came out strong in two games last week as it earned a pair of wins in Dairyland Conference play.
The Wildcats held Eleva-Strum to just nine first half points as it took a 20-point lead in-to halftime last week Tuesday. On Friday, B-T scored nearly 50 points in the first half in Independence/Gilmanton. The Wildcats added to the leads in both games and cruised to a pair of wins.
B-T was scheduled to play at River Ridge on Wednesday of this week before Thursday’s home game against Cashton. This coming Tuesday, they head to Bangor before going to Loyal on Thursday.
B-T 68 E-S 36
The Wildcats took control of the game in the first half, holding the Cardinals to just nine points.
“Our guys really did a great job on defense in the first half,” B-T coach Randy Storlie said.
The lead grew to 30 points early in the second half and B-T cruised to the lopsided win.
“I was so pleased with our effort tonight and how we moved the ball,” Storlie said. “We took a step in the positive direction tonight and it was fun to watch the team play.”
Ethan Kniseley finished with a team-high 20 points and CJ Dummer added 17. B-T also got eight points from Tavian Shramek, seven apiece from Auston Thompson and Michael Waldera, four from Ryan Oldendorf and Easton Arneson and two from Jacob Olson.
B-T 88 I/G 61
The Wildcats came out firing and didn’t slow down.
B-T put up 49 points in the first half as the team attacked and shared the wealth in the first half.
“We really were aggressive to start the game and it was so much fun to watch the kids move the ball and hit shots,” Storlie said. “We had six different guys score in the first half.”
The Wildcats took control of the game with a 9-2 run that put them ahead 22-10. They went ahead by 20 with about four minutes remaining in the half and took a 28-point lead into halftime.
The Indees were aggressive out of the locker room, beginning the second frame with an 8-2 run. However, the Wildcats got back on track and the lead was never in jeopardy.
The Wildcats shot about 45 percent from the field and had five players in double figures. Oldendorf had a team-high 16 points for the Wildcats, one more than Kniseley while Waldera scored 13 and both Shramek and Dummer finished with 12. The team also got nine points from Easton Arneson, seven from Austin Thompson and two apiece from Jacob Olson and Hunter Wagner.
The Indees also shot about 45 percent from the field, but had 11 few attempts from the field and eight from the free-throw line. That was, in part, because I/G had twice as many turnovers as B-T, 16-8, and allowed 14 offensive rebounds.
Chase Jesse led I/G with 12 points.
