JUDA — With a floater at the 10:45 mark in the first half, Juda’s Jayden Brown became the eighth student in Juda basketball history to cross the 1,000 career points threshold. Brown, a senior, finished with 16 points as the Panthers defeated Madison Country Day 43-37 at home on Monday, Dec. 8.
Brown opened the scoring on the night by burying a three-pointer. By halftime, he had nine points. His current mark of 1,012 points is fourth all-time in boys program history, and sixth all-time in school history. Chad Kesler (1990-1993) holds the boys program record at 1,235 points, and Ellen Kiser (2009-2012) is the school’s all-time leader at 1,355 points.
Juda led 27-17 at the break thanks in part to a last-second buzzer-beating three-pointer by Treston Gobeli.
Juda’s lead reached 13 in the second half before Country Day started chipping away slowly. With less than a minute left, a Country Day putback made it a two-point game at 39-37. However, Brown and Keagan Schirmer converted on four tries from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the win.
Easton Hess scored 10 points for Juda, while Gobeli had nine, Schirmer six and Braydon Steinman two.
Up next for the Panthers (3-1) was a makeup at Pecatonica on Thursday, Dec. 11, followed by a home game against Shullsburg on Friday, Dec. 12. On Tuesday, Dec. 15, Juda will host The Lincoln Academy.
Pecatonica 58, Belleville 52
BELLEVILLE — Junior Griffin Noll scored 32 points to lead all scorers and give the Pecatonica Vikings a 58-52 win over the Belleville Wildcats in nonconference boys basketball on Monday, Dec. 8.
The first half went back and forth with neither team getting more than a four point lead. Senior Isaac Patrow put Belleville in front 8-6 in the first few minutes. Senior Jackson Scholey drilled a three with seven minutes remaining in the first half to give the Wildcats a 21-20 lead. Noll made two free throws with 3:01 left in the half to put the Vikings ahead 26-25. A field goal by Scholey with 1:13 remaining in the half put Belleville in front at 29-28 before junior Bo Stateler’s layup gave Pecatonica the lead at halftime at 30-29.
Scholey scored six straight points to begin the second half to give the Wildcats a five point lead at 35-30 with 13:45 to play. Senior Hazeon Edmond’s basket got the Wildcats a six point lead at 39-33. Then, the game became a scoring duel between Scholey for Belleville and Noll for Pecatonica trading points before junior Martin Anderson got a steal and scored with 8:56 remaining to put the Vikings on top 44-43.
Scholey nailed a three to tie the game at 47-47 with 6:50 left. Noll connected on a three with 3:06 left to put Pecatonica out in front 52-48. The Vikings never trailed the rest of the way as Noll made four free throws and Scholey got a layup with 54.3 seconds left. However, Scholey fouled out with 34.2 seconds left. Noll made one of two free throws to seal the win for Pecatonica at 58-52.
Scholey scored 31 points before fouling out. Belleville also got six points each from Edmond and Patrow. Other scorers for Pecatonica were junior Brock Erickson with 11 and Stateler with five points.
Pecatonica coach Scott Noll was happy that it was his team that got the hard-fought win. “That was a very physical game, but I’m really happy with our boys. We’re not the biggest team, but we’re getting tougher,” said Noll.
Belleville (0-4) was set to travel to Randolph for a nonconference game on Friday, Dec. 12.
