ALBANY - Isaiah Shell didn't want a win to slip away for the seniors on the Albany boys basketball team as the Comets looked to complete a season sweep of Pecatonica.
The sophomore recalled how the Vikings came back and beat the Comets last year on their home floor on Senior Night.
It wasn't Senior Night on Thursday, but Shell scored 15 points and Albany junior Tyler VanDusen scored 13 points to power the Comets to a 56-45 win over Pecatonica.
"They hit a couple of late 3-pointers and beat us on Senior Night," Shell said of last year's game. "It didn't feel very good. Tonight feels great to get the sweep. We played a full 32 minutes. Usually, we play just one half."
Albany (7-9, 4-4 Six Rivers East) opened the first quarter with a 13-3 run on the strength of a 1-2-2 press that gave the Vikings fits. VanDusen scored seven points in the first quarter to spark the Comets.
"We know we are a transition team," Albany coach Derik Doescher said. "We have to try to get in an uptempo game. We have the athletes to do it. Tyler VanDusen in the first quarter set the tone in the paint."
VanDusen scored down low and was fouled early in the first quarter. He made the free throw to convert the three-point play to give the Comets a 9-3 lead early in the first quarter. Shell hit a jumper, sophomore Mitchell Kauk scored down low and sophomore Grant Schoenenberger knocked down a jumper to give the Comets a 31-20 lead.
"We hit 11 three-pointers in the first game," Pecatonica coach Kevin Parman said. "Tonight, on the road, it was a different story. We knew what they were going to do. They had some tough shots fall."
The Comets started the third quarter with a 10-4 run fueled by forcing some turnovers with their press. Kauk came through with a steal and layup to push the lead to 13 points with 6:30 left in the third period.
Shell knocked down a jumper and senior Gavin Ruef drilled a 3-pointer to give the Comets a 41-26 lead with 4:38 to go in the third.
"We stayed with our 2-3 zone even when we were behind until the fourth quarter," Parman said. "We kept them out of the middle for the most part. Any time we play we have to keep teams out of the middle. When they got in the middle, they made us pay."
With VanDusen in foul trouble in the second half, Albany senior Cody Schultz came through and scored six points off the bench.
"He (Schultz) gave us some great minutes tonight," Doescher said. "Cody Schultz stepped up."
Pecatonica senior J.J. Hogan scored nine of his 13 points in the second half.
"J.J. Hogan stepped up and hit some tough shots to keep us within 10 or 12 points," Parman said. "No one else stepped up and hit shots. The loose balls, it seemed when Albany needed them they got them."
Pecatonica senior Wyatt Massey scored 11 points and senior Karson Feller added nine.
VanDusen scored down low on an inbound play midway through the fourth quarter to give the Comets their largest lead, 53-35. The Comets shot 11 of 18 from the free throw line, a stat Doescher said the Comets must improve.
"Free throw shooting has been our Achilles Heel this year," he said. "In close games those (free throws) and turnovers could cost us. We beat a good basketball team tonight. We played well enough to win."
The sophomore recalled how the Vikings came back and beat the Comets last year on their home floor on Senior Night.
It wasn't Senior Night on Thursday, but Shell scored 15 points and Albany junior Tyler VanDusen scored 13 points to power the Comets to a 56-45 win over Pecatonica.
"They hit a couple of late 3-pointers and beat us on Senior Night," Shell said of last year's game. "It didn't feel very good. Tonight feels great to get the sweep. We played a full 32 minutes. Usually, we play just one half."
Albany (7-9, 4-4 Six Rivers East) opened the first quarter with a 13-3 run on the strength of a 1-2-2 press that gave the Vikings fits. VanDusen scored seven points in the first quarter to spark the Comets.
"We know we are a transition team," Albany coach Derik Doescher said. "We have to try to get in an uptempo game. We have the athletes to do it. Tyler VanDusen in the first quarter set the tone in the paint."
VanDusen scored down low and was fouled early in the first quarter. He made the free throw to convert the three-point play to give the Comets a 9-3 lead early in the first quarter. Shell hit a jumper, sophomore Mitchell Kauk scored down low and sophomore Grant Schoenenberger knocked down a jumper to give the Comets a 31-20 lead.
"We hit 11 three-pointers in the first game," Pecatonica coach Kevin Parman said. "Tonight, on the road, it was a different story. We knew what they were going to do. They had some tough shots fall."
The Comets started the third quarter with a 10-4 run fueled by forcing some turnovers with their press. Kauk came through with a steal and layup to push the lead to 13 points with 6:30 left in the third period.
Shell knocked down a jumper and senior Gavin Ruef drilled a 3-pointer to give the Comets a 41-26 lead with 4:38 to go in the third.
"We stayed with our 2-3 zone even when we were behind until the fourth quarter," Parman said. "We kept them out of the middle for the most part. Any time we play we have to keep teams out of the middle. When they got in the middle, they made us pay."
With VanDusen in foul trouble in the second half, Albany senior Cody Schultz came through and scored six points off the bench.
"He (Schultz) gave us some great minutes tonight," Doescher said. "Cody Schultz stepped up."
Pecatonica senior J.J. Hogan scored nine of his 13 points in the second half.
"J.J. Hogan stepped up and hit some tough shots to keep us within 10 or 12 points," Parman said. "No one else stepped up and hit shots. The loose balls, it seemed when Albany needed them they got them."
Pecatonica senior Wyatt Massey scored 11 points and senior Karson Feller added nine.
VanDusen scored down low on an inbound play midway through the fourth quarter to give the Comets their largest lead, 53-35. The Comets shot 11 of 18 from the free throw line, a stat Doescher said the Comets must improve.
"Free throw shooting has been our Achilles Heel this year," he said. "In close games those (free throws) and turnovers could cost us. We beat a good basketball team tonight. We played well enough to win."
