NEW GLARUS - Coming off a last second buzzer beater, the New Glarus boys basketball team continued to build on that momentum with a 55-52 win over Capitol South Conference co-leader Wisconsin Heights.
"It feels good to beat a team that is first in the conference," said New Glarus junior Tyler Kreklow who scored a team-high 13 points.
The Glarner Knights (9-9, 4-3 Capitol South) made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 22.8 seconds to seal the victory.
"We knew they would make a run," Kreklow said. "We knew we had to make free throws down the stretch."
New Glarus senior Tyler Dorn scored nine points and senior Braden Pittman added eight. Pittman made 4 of 4 free throws in the final 22.8 seconds.
"He's a shooter," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said of Pittman. "He stepped up big tonight. You miss some free throws and they come down and hit a couple of shots, it could have been a different outcome."
Early on, the Capitol South showdown had the makings of a track meet. The Vanguards who entered the game tied with Cambridge atop the Capitol South, scored five straight points highlighted by junior Daren Helmenstine's 3-pointer. Helmenstine scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Vanguards.
The Knights answered with junior Chris Pickett drilling a 3-pointer and Dorn came up with a steal and scored on a layup to tie the game at 5. New Glarus senior Mason Lockard buried a 3-pointer and Pickett scored down low on an inbound play at the end of the first quarter to give the Knights a 15-12 lead.
It was a seesaw second quarter until the end of the period. Kreklow came up with two steals and scored two layups to give the Knights a 27-21 lead with 1 minute, 38 seconds to go in the period. New Glarus junior Eric Felt grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled at the end of the second quarter. He made 1 of 2 free throws to give the Knights a 30-25 halftime lead.
The Knights started the third quarter with a bang. Lockard and Kreklow each knocked down 3-pointers to give the Knights a 37-29 lead that they would never relinquish.
Wisconsin Heights sophomore Tyler Ballweg made a driving shot to cut the Knights' lead to 48-45 with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Knights ran a four corner weave offense and milked the clock.
"In the Memphis offense, it's layups and 3s," Sysko said. "At that point in the game we didn't want to shoot any 3s. We wanted to take some time off the clock. Even if you come up empty on a possession, if you can take a minute off, it's a good possession."
Sysko said the Knights played good defense in their first game against the Vanguards. However, the Knights shot just 1 of 19 from 3-point land. The Knights hit five 3s in the rematch. Sysko said the biggest difference was the Knights hit some shots, created some turnovers and were able to score in transition.
Kreklow noticed a difference since the last time the Knights played the Vanguards.
"We are just making shots better and playing more as a team," he said. "Early on we were not making shots and scoring many points."
"It feels good to beat a team that is first in the conference," said New Glarus junior Tyler Kreklow who scored a team-high 13 points.
The Glarner Knights (9-9, 4-3 Capitol South) made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 22.8 seconds to seal the victory.
"We knew they would make a run," Kreklow said. "We knew we had to make free throws down the stretch."
New Glarus senior Tyler Dorn scored nine points and senior Braden Pittman added eight. Pittman made 4 of 4 free throws in the final 22.8 seconds.
"He's a shooter," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said of Pittman. "He stepped up big tonight. You miss some free throws and they come down and hit a couple of shots, it could have been a different outcome."
Early on, the Capitol South showdown had the makings of a track meet. The Vanguards who entered the game tied with Cambridge atop the Capitol South, scored five straight points highlighted by junior Daren Helmenstine's 3-pointer. Helmenstine scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Vanguards.
The Knights answered with junior Chris Pickett drilling a 3-pointer and Dorn came up with a steal and scored on a layup to tie the game at 5. New Glarus senior Mason Lockard buried a 3-pointer and Pickett scored down low on an inbound play at the end of the first quarter to give the Knights a 15-12 lead.
It was a seesaw second quarter until the end of the period. Kreklow came up with two steals and scored two layups to give the Knights a 27-21 lead with 1 minute, 38 seconds to go in the period. New Glarus junior Eric Felt grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled at the end of the second quarter. He made 1 of 2 free throws to give the Knights a 30-25 halftime lead.
The Knights started the third quarter with a bang. Lockard and Kreklow each knocked down 3-pointers to give the Knights a 37-29 lead that they would never relinquish.
Wisconsin Heights sophomore Tyler Ballweg made a driving shot to cut the Knights' lead to 48-45 with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Knights ran a four corner weave offense and milked the clock.
"In the Memphis offense, it's layups and 3s," Sysko said. "At that point in the game we didn't want to shoot any 3s. We wanted to take some time off the clock. Even if you come up empty on a possession, if you can take a minute off, it's a good possession."
Sysko said the Knights played good defense in their first game against the Vanguards. However, the Knights shot just 1 of 19 from 3-point land. The Knights hit five 3s in the rematch. Sysko said the biggest difference was the Knights hit some shots, created some turnovers and were able to score in transition.
Kreklow noticed a difference since the last time the Knights played the Vanguards.
"We are just making shots better and playing more as a team," he said. "Early on we were not making shots and scoring many points."
