DARLINGTON - With second place in the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League on the line, Darlington senior Kent Miehe was expecting more from his team.
Southwestern junior Joshua Smith scored a game-high 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Wildcats steamrolled the Redbirds 66-36 Thursday night.
"We were both coming off bad losses," Miehe said. "They came out and really hit their shots. We didn't bring the intensity we usually bring and they took advantage of that."
Southwestern (14-3, 9-2 SWAL) dominated every phase of the game from the opening tip. The Redbirds shot 29.4 percent (15-for-51) compared to 47.8 percent (22-for-46) for the Wildcats. The Wildcats had a decisive rebounding advantage, 36-18. Southwestern had 13 offensive rebounds. The Wildcats scored six straight points to start the first quarter and led 18-11 at the end of the period.
Miehe scored 11 of his team-high 14 points in the first half to help the Redbirds whittle a 15-point deficit to nine at halftime, 30-21.
"They killed us on the boards," Miehe said. "They just got two or three offensive rebounds per possession. They just got more shots, a lot more possessions and scored more points."
Darlington coach Mike Hopkins was at a loss for words.
"It's a disappointing loss," Hopkins said. "It's a mystery to me. We need to come out with the effort we need."
The Redbirds (11-7, 7-4) looked like they might have a run in them early in the third quarter after senior Cedric Flesher drilled a 3-pointer to cut the Wildcats' lead to 32-24. Darlington senior Brandon Hardyman, who scored 10 points, scored on a layup to slice the Wildcats' lead to 32-26.
That's as close as the Redbirds would get.
Smith scored 11 points in the third quarter as the Wildcats pulled away.
"I don't want to take anything away from Southwestern," Hopkins said. "Joshua Smith played a good game. We contributed to his scoring by not playing defense."
Hopkins said the Redbirds made some halftime adjustments, but they settled for too many outside shots in the second half.
"You don't win many games when you don't attack the basket," Hopkins said. "They were only called for two fouls in the second half."
Southwestern junior Aaron Tranel converted a three-point play at 4:39 in the third quarter to extend the Wildcats' lead to 43-28. Darlington senior Zach McArthur took an elbow to the face on the play and was carted off the court. The Wildcats outscored the Redbirds 23-8 the rest of the way - including a 12-0 spurt in the fourth quarter.
Hopkins said McArthur didn't suffer a concussion on the play and they will have to wait to see if there are any lingering side effects like headaches.
"It's very good news that he didn't have a concussion," Hopkins said.
Southwestern junior Joshua Smith scored a game-high 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Wildcats steamrolled the Redbirds 66-36 Thursday night.
"We were both coming off bad losses," Miehe said. "They came out and really hit their shots. We didn't bring the intensity we usually bring and they took advantage of that."
Southwestern (14-3, 9-2 SWAL) dominated every phase of the game from the opening tip. The Redbirds shot 29.4 percent (15-for-51) compared to 47.8 percent (22-for-46) for the Wildcats. The Wildcats had a decisive rebounding advantage, 36-18. Southwestern had 13 offensive rebounds. The Wildcats scored six straight points to start the first quarter and led 18-11 at the end of the period.
Miehe scored 11 of his team-high 14 points in the first half to help the Redbirds whittle a 15-point deficit to nine at halftime, 30-21.
"They killed us on the boards," Miehe said. "They just got two or three offensive rebounds per possession. They just got more shots, a lot more possessions and scored more points."
Darlington coach Mike Hopkins was at a loss for words.
"It's a disappointing loss," Hopkins said. "It's a mystery to me. We need to come out with the effort we need."
The Redbirds (11-7, 7-4) looked like they might have a run in them early in the third quarter after senior Cedric Flesher drilled a 3-pointer to cut the Wildcats' lead to 32-24. Darlington senior Brandon Hardyman, who scored 10 points, scored on a layup to slice the Wildcats' lead to 32-26.
That's as close as the Redbirds would get.
Smith scored 11 points in the third quarter as the Wildcats pulled away.
"I don't want to take anything away from Southwestern," Hopkins said. "Joshua Smith played a good game. We contributed to his scoring by not playing defense."
Hopkins said the Redbirds made some halftime adjustments, but they settled for too many outside shots in the second half.
"You don't win many games when you don't attack the basket," Hopkins said. "They were only called for two fouls in the second half."
Southwestern junior Aaron Tranel converted a three-point play at 4:39 in the third quarter to extend the Wildcats' lead to 43-28. Darlington senior Zach McArthur took an elbow to the face on the play and was carted off the court. The Wildcats outscored the Redbirds 23-8 the rest of the way - including a 12-0 spurt in the fourth quarter.
Hopkins said McArthur didn't suffer a concussion on the play and they will have to wait to see if there are any lingering side effects like headaches.
"It's very good news that he didn't have a concussion," Hopkins said.
