NEW GLARUS - Facing the Capitol North Conference hasn't been kind for the New Glarus boys basketball team this season.
New Glarus (3-4) has lost four straight Capitol Conference crossover games. The latest installment Monday night was a 80-47 loss to Lodi, which is ranked fifth in the Associated Press Division 3 state poll. The Capitol North is 16-4 against the South this year.
"I think the Capitol North is very good this year," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "They are all bigger schools than us. They have had some success against the South this year."
Lodi (4-0) has one starter at 6 foot, 8 inches and two other players at 6-5. The Blue Devils led by as many as 34 points in the second half and dominated the Glarner Knights on the boards.
Lodi sophomore Jordan Shea scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Blue Devils.
"They are ranked fifth and deservedly so," Sysko said. "They have some size, athleticism and some shooters on the wing. They are a tough team to guard. They can beat you in a lot of different ways."
The Knights got off to a fast start behind senior Tyler Kreklow, who scored a team-high 16 points, and sophomore Trae VandeBerg, who had 14. The Knights trailed just 19-16 at the end of the first quarter in a game that had the makings of a shootout.
But the Blue Devils used a 7-0 spurt to start the second quarter in building a 10-point lead. Kreklow hit jumpers in the lane on back-to-back possessions to rally the Knights. VandeBerg scored down low and was fouled. He made the free throw to convert the three-point play to trim the Blue Devils' lead to 30-25 with 2 minutes, 31 seconds left in the second quarter.
"We knew coming in that we would have to play team defense and box out against them," Kreklow said. "We are still trying to build."
The Blue Devils scored nine unanswered points at the end of the second quarter to take a 39-25 halftime lead.
"We started out playing loose," Sysko said. "We tried to play a zone to take away some of their inside game and they hurt us inside. We kind of tensed up a little bit and they went on a run."
The Blue Devils put the game away with a 14-4 third-quarter run sparked by Kris Seffrood, who scored nine of his 13 points in the second half. Lodi sophomore John Hatch also scored 13 points.
The Knights struggled in the second half, shooting just 30.7 percent (8-for-26).
"One of our strengths is that we are a
3-point shooting team," Sysko said. "It wasn't there tonight. We knew we would have to hit the 3 tonight. You cannot shoot well against a team like this."
New Glarus plays in the Benton tournament Dec. 27-28.
"We are a small team and we will have to play team defense if we want a chance to win a conference championship," Kreklow said.
New Glarus (3-4) has lost four straight Capitol Conference crossover games. The latest installment Monday night was a 80-47 loss to Lodi, which is ranked fifth in the Associated Press Division 3 state poll. The Capitol North is 16-4 against the South this year.
"I think the Capitol North is very good this year," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "They are all bigger schools than us. They have had some success against the South this year."
Lodi (4-0) has one starter at 6 foot, 8 inches and two other players at 6-5. The Blue Devils led by as many as 34 points in the second half and dominated the Glarner Knights on the boards.
Lodi sophomore Jordan Shea scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Blue Devils.
"They are ranked fifth and deservedly so," Sysko said. "They have some size, athleticism and some shooters on the wing. They are a tough team to guard. They can beat you in a lot of different ways."
The Knights got off to a fast start behind senior Tyler Kreklow, who scored a team-high 16 points, and sophomore Trae VandeBerg, who had 14. The Knights trailed just 19-16 at the end of the first quarter in a game that had the makings of a shootout.
But the Blue Devils used a 7-0 spurt to start the second quarter in building a 10-point lead. Kreklow hit jumpers in the lane on back-to-back possessions to rally the Knights. VandeBerg scored down low and was fouled. He made the free throw to convert the three-point play to trim the Blue Devils' lead to 30-25 with 2 minutes, 31 seconds left in the second quarter.
"We knew coming in that we would have to play team defense and box out against them," Kreklow said. "We are still trying to build."
The Blue Devils scored nine unanswered points at the end of the second quarter to take a 39-25 halftime lead.
"We started out playing loose," Sysko said. "We tried to play a zone to take away some of their inside game and they hurt us inside. We kind of tensed up a little bit and they went on a run."
The Blue Devils put the game away with a 14-4 third-quarter run sparked by Kris Seffrood, who scored nine of his 13 points in the second half. Lodi sophomore John Hatch also scored 13 points.
The Knights struggled in the second half, shooting just 30.7 percent (8-for-26).
"One of our strengths is that we are a
3-point shooting team," Sysko said. "It wasn't there tonight. We knew we would have to hit the 3 tonight. You cannot shoot well against a team like this."
New Glarus plays in the Benton tournament Dec. 27-28.
"We are a small team and we will have to play team defense if we want a chance to win a conference championship," Kreklow said.
