NEW GLARUS - Balanced offense and strong defense is something the Glarner Knights would like to see every game.
In a 62-36 non-conference win against former Stateline League rival Pecatonica, New Glarus had both.
"I'm happy with the effort," Knights coach Travis Sysko said. "Defensively I thought we played well. Every game we're going to find something that we need to work on, though. We'll go back to work (Tuesday)."
New Glarus never trailed in the game, getting out to a strong 12-4 lead. During the early run, five different Knights scored, with the difference-maker being sophomore point guard Tyler Kreklow.
"Kreklow is doing a heck of a job running the point for us. He's been playing a real good floor game every night," Sysko said about Kreklow, who had three assists, a steal and a bucket in the opening 3 minutes, 19 seconds of the game. "So far this year our young guys have exceeded my expectations."
By the end of the opening quarter, New Glarus led 21-8, thanks in part to a floater in the lane by the 5-foot, 9-inch Kreklow.
"We got some easy transition points in the first half off of our defense," Sysko said.
In the second quarter, the Knights continued to roll, scoring the first eight points of the frame to extend the lead to 21.
"We have to make a choice to do the right things. We're putting ourselves into foul trouble situations and committing turnovers," Pecatonica head coach Kevin Parman said. "We're not a team that's going to light it up from the outside. We have to be discipline, get to the free throw line, take care of the ball and make some layups."
The Vikings brought the deficit back down to 18 as the game neared halftime. That's when Kreklow struck again, passing to a wide-open Cameron Jeglum on the wing for a 3-pointer with four seconds left, pushing the score to 37-16.
"I think what I'm most proud of the guys tonight is that we scored on the last possession of each quarter. That's nine points that we scored on our last possessions. You do that and you're going to win a lot of ball games," Sysko said.
Pecatonica was playing without junior big man Tannar Johnson, who was hospitalized after taking a fall in the Vikings last game on Dec. 10.
"Being a man down, my expectations going into the game was one possession at a time, try to get better. If we can get better against New Glarus, we're obviously going to fare better against other teams in our conference," Parman said.
Ten New Glarus players scored in the game, four of which were in double figures. Senior Ryan Bright led all scorers with 16 points, Kreklow had 11, and seniors Nick Stuessy and Jeglum notched 10.
"This is just a real unselfish team right now. They're not trying to force a lot of stuff right now, they are just being patient and finding the guy that's open," Sysko said.
Jeremy Meudt scored 12 points to lead Pecatonica.
The Vikings (2-3, 0-2 Six Rivers East) hosts Albany (2-3, 1-1) Thursday while the Knights (5-0, 1-0 Capitol South) are home against Highway 69 rival Belleville (2-2, 0-0).
In a 62-36 non-conference win against former Stateline League rival Pecatonica, New Glarus had both.
"I'm happy with the effort," Knights coach Travis Sysko said. "Defensively I thought we played well. Every game we're going to find something that we need to work on, though. We'll go back to work (Tuesday)."
New Glarus never trailed in the game, getting out to a strong 12-4 lead. During the early run, five different Knights scored, with the difference-maker being sophomore point guard Tyler Kreklow.
"Kreklow is doing a heck of a job running the point for us. He's been playing a real good floor game every night," Sysko said about Kreklow, who had three assists, a steal and a bucket in the opening 3 minutes, 19 seconds of the game. "So far this year our young guys have exceeded my expectations."
By the end of the opening quarter, New Glarus led 21-8, thanks in part to a floater in the lane by the 5-foot, 9-inch Kreklow.
"We got some easy transition points in the first half off of our defense," Sysko said.
In the second quarter, the Knights continued to roll, scoring the first eight points of the frame to extend the lead to 21.
"We have to make a choice to do the right things. We're putting ourselves into foul trouble situations and committing turnovers," Pecatonica head coach Kevin Parman said. "We're not a team that's going to light it up from the outside. We have to be discipline, get to the free throw line, take care of the ball and make some layups."
The Vikings brought the deficit back down to 18 as the game neared halftime. That's when Kreklow struck again, passing to a wide-open Cameron Jeglum on the wing for a 3-pointer with four seconds left, pushing the score to 37-16.
"I think what I'm most proud of the guys tonight is that we scored on the last possession of each quarter. That's nine points that we scored on our last possessions. You do that and you're going to win a lot of ball games," Sysko said.
Pecatonica was playing without junior big man Tannar Johnson, who was hospitalized after taking a fall in the Vikings last game on Dec. 10.
"Being a man down, my expectations going into the game was one possession at a time, try to get better. If we can get better against New Glarus, we're obviously going to fare better against other teams in our conference," Parman said.
Ten New Glarus players scored in the game, four of which were in double figures. Senior Ryan Bright led all scorers with 16 points, Kreklow had 11, and seniors Nick Stuessy and Jeglum notched 10.
"This is just a real unselfish team right now. They're not trying to force a lot of stuff right now, they are just being patient and finding the guy that's open," Sysko said.
Jeremy Meudt scored 12 points to lead Pecatonica.
The Vikings (2-3, 0-2 Six Rivers East) hosts Albany (2-3, 1-1) Thursday while the Knights (5-0, 1-0 Capitol South) are home against Highway 69 rival Belleville (2-2, 0-0).
