BRODHEAD - It wasn't the Senior Night Brodhead 6-foot, 10-inch big man J.J. Panoske envisioned.
Clinton, powered by sophomore Cody Risseeuw's game-high 27 points, dismantled Brodhead in a 78-52 rout Tuesday night.
Panoske, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit, scored 14 points and had seven blocked shots. However, Panoske picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and was forced to the bench. After winning six of their last seven games, Panoske was confident that the Cardinals could challenge the Cougars.
"I think we think we are capable of beating them," Panoske said. "We just have to show it."
The Cardinals were playing without senior Alex Wallace and junior David Earleywine. Wallace has a slip disc and a pinched nerve in his neck and Earleywine has a broken hand.
"Our depth isn't great to begin with," Brodhead coach Brian Kammerer said. "When you lose two starters that doesn't help. As far as we know they will be out the rest of the year. Give credit to Clinton. They came out and got the job done."
Clinton, the Rock Valley South Conference champions, showed early on how dominant they can be. The Cougars opened the game with a 15-3 run. The spurt was highlighted by Risseeuw's layup, senior Ross Oldenburg's 3-pointer and a basket down low by junior Justin Langley. Oldenburg scored 12 of his 13 points in the first quarter and hit three, 3-pointers. Brodhead senior Carson Scheidegger scored nine of his 11 points in the first quarter to keep the Cardinals within reach down 25-13 at the end of the first quarter.
"They shot lights out in the first half," Scheidegger said. "That carried over a little bit into the second half. We turned the ball over a lot and a couple of injuries hurt us."
The Cougars used a press to wreak havoc on the Cardinals. The Cardinals committed 24 turnovers. Clinton led by as many as 19-points in the first half.
"I definitely think the difference was the turnovers," Panoske said. "You can't really win a basketball game when you have that many turnovers. It's disappointing."
The Cougars went on an 8-0 spurt to start the third quarter that culminated in Risseeuw's turnaround jumper that gave the Cougars a 49-24 lead with 5:24 left in the period. The Cardinals trailed by as many as 29-points in the second half on a couple different occasions, and were down 62-33 headed into the fourth quarter.
Brodhead senior Nick Jacobson scored seven of his nine points in the second half. Brodhead junior Trenton Jordan scored all eight of his points in the second half.
Panoske also couldn't help but think how much the Cardinals could have used Wallace and Earleywine.
"With David Earleywine and Alex Wallace injured, it's hard to go out there with guys in different positions," he said. "They came out firing in the first quarter. They hit three 3s and took us out of our game."
Brodhead will play at Orfordville Parkview Friday in what could be a preview of a regional semifinal game. Brodhead received a first round bye in the WIAA Division 3 Big Foot regional. The Cardinals will play the winner of Beloit Turner-Orfordville Parkview on Friday, March 4. If they win that game, a rematch with No. 1 seed Clinton in the regional championship game would be in the cards. Kammerer didn't want to look ahead, but he understands the Cardinals must make adjustments if they play the Cougars again.
"If we face them we have to be able to handle the pressure defense," he said. "We have to get healthy."
Clinton, powered by sophomore Cody Risseeuw's game-high 27 points, dismantled Brodhead in a 78-52 rout Tuesday night.
Panoske, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit, scored 14 points and had seven blocked shots. However, Panoske picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and was forced to the bench. After winning six of their last seven games, Panoske was confident that the Cardinals could challenge the Cougars.
"I think we think we are capable of beating them," Panoske said. "We just have to show it."
The Cardinals were playing without senior Alex Wallace and junior David Earleywine. Wallace has a slip disc and a pinched nerve in his neck and Earleywine has a broken hand.
"Our depth isn't great to begin with," Brodhead coach Brian Kammerer said. "When you lose two starters that doesn't help. As far as we know they will be out the rest of the year. Give credit to Clinton. They came out and got the job done."
Clinton, the Rock Valley South Conference champions, showed early on how dominant they can be. The Cougars opened the game with a 15-3 run. The spurt was highlighted by Risseeuw's layup, senior Ross Oldenburg's 3-pointer and a basket down low by junior Justin Langley. Oldenburg scored 12 of his 13 points in the first quarter and hit three, 3-pointers. Brodhead senior Carson Scheidegger scored nine of his 11 points in the first quarter to keep the Cardinals within reach down 25-13 at the end of the first quarter.
"They shot lights out in the first half," Scheidegger said. "That carried over a little bit into the second half. We turned the ball over a lot and a couple of injuries hurt us."
The Cougars used a press to wreak havoc on the Cardinals. The Cardinals committed 24 turnovers. Clinton led by as many as 19-points in the first half.
"I definitely think the difference was the turnovers," Panoske said. "You can't really win a basketball game when you have that many turnovers. It's disappointing."
The Cougars went on an 8-0 spurt to start the third quarter that culminated in Risseeuw's turnaround jumper that gave the Cougars a 49-24 lead with 5:24 left in the period. The Cardinals trailed by as many as 29-points in the second half on a couple different occasions, and were down 62-33 headed into the fourth quarter.
Brodhead senior Nick Jacobson scored seven of his nine points in the second half. Brodhead junior Trenton Jordan scored all eight of his points in the second half.
Panoske also couldn't help but think how much the Cardinals could have used Wallace and Earleywine.
"With David Earleywine and Alex Wallace injured, it's hard to go out there with guys in different positions," he said. "They came out firing in the first quarter. They hit three 3s and took us out of our game."
Brodhead will play at Orfordville Parkview Friday in what could be a preview of a regional semifinal game. Brodhead received a first round bye in the WIAA Division 3 Big Foot regional. The Cardinals will play the winner of Beloit Turner-Orfordville Parkview on Friday, March 4. If they win that game, a rematch with No. 1 seed Clinton in the regional championship game would be in the cards. Kammerer didn't want to look ahead, but he understands the Cardinals must make adjustments if they play the Cougars again.
"If we face them we have to be able to handle the pressure defense," he said. "We have to get healthy."
