DARLINGTON - Coach Mike Hopkins was minus his top scorer and top reserve when his Darlington boys basketball team played a key non-conference game against New Glarus on Monday night.
"We told them there's an opportunity here to step up, and the four (other) starters did," Hopkins said after the Redbirds' 49-46 victory.
Senior Mitchell Whalen scored a season-high 15 points to lead four players in double figures for Darlington, which was without senior leading scorer Brandon Hardyman (sprained ankle) and senior sixth-man Jake Martin (knee).
Seniors Cedric Flesher (11 points), Kent Miehe (10) and Zach McArthur (10) also reached double digits for the Redbirds (12-7), who led by six until New Glarus senior Tyler Kreklow hit a
3-pointer with five seconds left. Darlington successfully ran out the clock.
"We tightened our defense and had just enough offense," said Hopkins, adding the victory could prove large at Sunday's postseason tournament seeding meeting.
"We both came in with the same record and (the win is) big in that respect," Hopkins said. "There's kind of a logjam of teams around our record."
Kreklow had 15 points and senior Ryan Zimmerman added 14 for New Glarus (11-8), which built an eight-point lead in the second quarter.
Juda 77, Johnson Creek 31
JUDA - The Panthers had a balanced offensive attack with five players reaching double figures en route to a big non-conference win.
Juda (12-5, 5-4 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 29-9 first quarter led by 31 points at halftime. The Panthers made nine 3-pointers as a team.
Juda senior Brandon Bauman scored a game-high 14 points to lead the Panthers. Juda senior Cody Martin scored 13 points. Matt Trotter and Cole Bauman each scored 12 points and Joey Jordan chipped in 10 for the Panthers.
Potosi 66, Albany 49
ALBANY - Albany sophomore Isaiah Shell scored a game-high 29 points, but it wasn't enough to take down the Chieftains.
Potosi led just 16-15 after the first quarter and the Comets trailed by seven points at halftime.
Albany (8-11, 5-4 Six Rivers East) couldn't mount a second half comeback getting outscored 36-26.
Highland 64, Pecatonica 52
HIGHLAND - The Cardinals got hot in the third quarter and pulled away to beat Pecatonica in a non-conference game.
The Vikings (4-15, 2-8 Six Rivers East) trailed just 28-23 at halftime, but were outscored 15-8 in the third quarter. The Cardinals made 19 of 26 free throws.
Pecatonica senior Tanner Kleppe scored a team-high 12 points.
Freshman Drew Schliem, senior Matt Goldthorpe and junior Jon Hendrickson each added nine points for the Vikings.
Southwestern 85, Argyle 47
ARGYLE - Southwestern's Aaron Tranel and Joshua Smith combined to score 49 points as the Wildcats rolled.
Tranel scored a game-high 29 points and Smith added 20. Sophomore Alec Treuthardt, junior Trey Waage and senior Kevin Flannery each scored 10 points for the Orioles (3-17).
"We told them there's an opportunity here to step up, and the four (other) starters did," Hopkins said after the Redbirds' 49-46 victory.
Senior Mitchell Whalen scored a season-high 15 points to lead four players in double figures for Darlington, which was without senior leading scorer Brandon Hardyman (sprained ankle) and senior sixth-man Jake Martin (knee).
Seniors Cedric Flesher (11 points), Kent Miehe (10) and Zach McArthur (10) also reached double digits for the Redbirds (12-7), who led by six until New Glarus senior Tyler Kreklow hit a
3-pointer with five seconds left. Darlington successfully ran out the clock.
"We tightened our defense and had just enough offense," said Hopkins, adding the victory could prove large at Sunday's postseason tournament seeding meeting.
"We both came in with the same record and (the win is) big in that respect," Hopkins said. "There's kind of a logjam of teams around our record."
Kreklow had 15 points and senior Ryan Zimmerman added 14 for New Glarus (11-8), which built an eight-point lead in the second quarter.
Juda 77, Johnson Creek 31
JUDA - The Panthers had a balanced offensive attack with five players reaching double figures en route to a big non-conference win.
Juda (12-5, 5-4 Six Rivers East) jumped out to a 29-9 first quarter led by 31 points at halftime. The Panthers made nine 3-pointers as a team.
Juda senior Brandon Bauman scored a game-high 14 points to lead the Panthers. Juda senior Cody Martin scored 13 points. Matt Trotter and Cole Bauman each scored 12 points and Joey Jordan chipped in 10 for the Panthers.
Potosi 66, Albany 49
ALBANY - Albany sophomore Isaiah Shell scored a game-high 29 points, but it wasn't enough to take down the Chieftains.
Potosi led just 16-15 after the first quarter and the Comets trailed by seven points at halftime.
Albany (8-11, 5-4 Six Rivers East) couldn't mount a second half comeback getting outscored 36-26.
Highland 64, Pecatonica 52
HIGHLAND - The Cardinals got hot in the third quarter and pulled away to beat Pecatonica in a non-conference game.
The Vikings (4-15, 2-8 Six Rivers East) trailed just 28-23 at halftime, but were outscored 15-8 in the third quarter. The Cardinals made 19 of 26 free throws.
Pecatonica senior Tanner Kleppe scored a team-high 12 points.
Freshman Drew Schliem, senior Matt Goldthorpe and junior Jon Hendrickson each added nine points for the Vikings.
Southwestern 85, Argyle 47
ARGYLE - Southwestern's Aaron Tranel and Joshua Smith combined to score 49 points as the Wildcats rolled.
Tranel scored a game-high 29 points and Smith added 20. Sophomore Alec Treuthardt, junior Trey Waage and senior Kevin Flannery each scored 10 points for the Orioles (3-17).
