BRODHEAD - Jason Knott spent 32 minutes Thursday night trying to figure out a way to combat the relentless pressure the Brodhead boys basketball team applies.
When it was over, the Cardinals had administered a 78-53 trouncing of Knott's Edgerton squad and gained another admirer of the way Brodhead plays the game when it's clicking on all cylinders.
"I like the way they play basketball," Knott said. "I like that they play aggressive and try to force the other team to make mistakes. They played a very nice basketball game."
Tate Harnack scored a season-high 28 points in the Rock Valley Conference crossover game to lead Brodhead to its season-high fourth straight victory. The 78 points was the Cardinals' second-highest output of the season.
Brodhead coach Brian Kammerer grudgingly acknowledged that the Cardinals are playing their best basketball of the season, but with a qualifier.
"I think we can play even better," Kammerer said.
That said, the coach had nothing but good things to say about his club's effort as the Cardinals (10-5, 8-3 Rock Valley) remained two games behind Clinton in the South Division race.
"As usual, our kids played hard," Kammerer said. "They just keep going. They have a motor that doesn't quit."
The power to that engine is supplied from several sources, a fact that Knott said kept the Crimson Tide from focusing too much on Harnack during prep for the game. That wound up being costly, as the 6-foot-2 senior surpassed his previous season high of 26 points against McFarland on Dec. 8.
Harnack scored 14 points in each half, and eight in the second quarter, when Brodhead used a half-court trap to extend the 18-14 lead it took into the period to a whopping 39-23 at halftime.
"I've told Tate this: There's going to be times that he hurts us with some things when he's trying to be too aggressive, trying to leak out a little bit," Kammerer said. "But there's also a lot of things that Tate does well for us. He just keeps going. We always ask him if he needs a break and he claims he doesn't."
Harnack, who was 12 of 14 from the free throw line, was far more interested in talking team than about his production.
"Our defense really stepped up," he said. "We mixed in a 1-3-1 zone and it turned out pretty well. We're getting there. We're in a nice stretch here where we can really pick up some good wins."
Trent Jordan added 16 points and David Earleywine added 13 for Brodhead, which extended its lead to 57-33 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. Edgerton made things somewhat interesting with a 14-0 run to close the third quarter and start the fourth, but Brodhead closed strong. The Cardinals were 24 of 31 from the foul line.
Tyler Oren and Cameren Wileman scored 13 points apiece for Edgerton (6-11, 5-6).
When it was over, the Cardinals had administered a 78-53 trouncing of Knott's Edgerton squad and gained another admirer of the way Brodhead plays the game when it's clicking on all cylinders.
"I like the way they play basketball," Knott said. "I like that they play aggressive and try to force the other team to make mistakes. They played a very nice basketball game."
Tate Harnack scored a season-high 28 points in the Rock Valley Conference crossover game to lead Brodhead to its season-high fourth straight victory. The 78 points was the Cardinals' second-highest output of the season.
Brodhead coach Brian Kammerer grudgingly acknowledged that the Cardinals are playing their best basketball of the season, but with a qualifier.
"I think we can play even better," Kammerer said.
That said, the coach had nothing but good things to say about his club's effort as the Cardinals (10-5, 8-3 Rock Valley) remained two games behind Clinton in the South Division race.
"As usual, our kids played hard," Kammerer said. "They just keep going. They have a motor that doesn't quit."
The power to that engine is supplied from several sources, a fact that Knott said kept the Crimson Tide from focusing too much on Harnack during prep for the game. That wound up being costly, as the 6-foot-2 senior surpassed his previous season high of 26 points against McFarland on Dec. 8.
Harnack scored 14 points in each half, and eight in the second quarter, when Brodhead used a half-court trap to extend the 18-14 lead it took into the period to a whopping 39-23 at halftime.
"I've told Tate this: There's going to be times that he hurts us with some things when he's trying to be too aggressive, trying to leak out a little bit," Kammerer said. "But there's also a lot of things that Tate does well for us. He just keeps going. We always ask him if he needs a break and he claims he doesn't."
Harnack, who was 12 of 14 from the free throw line, was far more interested in talking team than about his production.
"Our defense really stepped up," he said. "We mixed in a 1-3-1 zone and it turned out pretty well. We're getting there. We're in a nice stretch here where we can really pick up some good wins."
Trent Jordan added 16 points and David Earleywine added 13 for Brodhead, which extended its lead to 57-33 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. Edgerton made things somewhat interesting with a 14-0 run to close the third quarter and start the fourth, but Brodhead closed strong. The Cardinals were 24 of 31 from the foul line.
Tyler Oren and Cameren Wileman scored 13 points apiece for Edgerton (6-11, 5-6).
