Bulldog boys see record fall to 2-2

It was a tough week for a JWP boys’ basketball team flying high after starting the season 2-0. But losses to Lester Prairie and #2 ranked Hayfield brought them back to reality.

 

Lester Prairie 61, JWP 51

After the JWP girls finished their game against Lester Prairie, it was their turn to take the court against them Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The JWP boys looked like they could upset the home team, having as much as a 12-point lead in the middle of the first half. But 18 fouls to Lester Prairie’s 12 didn’t help JWP keep much of a lead. By halftime, it was whittled down to five at 29-24.

It looked like the boys could keep the lead throughout the rest of the game when they came out of the gate scoring in the second half. However, the defense struggled mightily, and Lester Prairie outscored the Bulldogs 37-22 in the latter half..

“I think they were just able to knock down some shots in the second half, and we could not,” JWPcoach Nick James stated. “We also gave up a few too many offensive rebounds and gave them extra opportunities.”

The Bulldogs rode on the back of freshman Daulton Bauer’s 24-point night.n.

“They were a big team,” James added. “We just couldn’t get many extra opportunities against them, especially in the second half.”

Individually: Bauer, 24 points, 4 deflections, 2 steals; Cole Schlueter, 12 points, 5 defensive rebounds, 4 assists, 3 deflections, and a steal; Memphis James, 7 points, 6 deflections, 3 defensive rebounds, 4 steals; Ryan Kronbach, 4 points, 6 defensive rebounds, 3 deflections, assist; Ethan Born, 2 points, 6 defensive rebounds, a deflection, and an assist; Caleb Quast, 2 points, 4 defensive rebounds, 3 deflections, and an assist. 

 

Hayfield 56, JWP 42

The boys returned home Dec. 16 to face Hayfield, a team ranked number two in Class A. After losing to Cherry, the top-ranked team in Class A, the Vikings looked a little flat-footed stepping on the Bulldogs’ court.

“I thought we performed very well against Hayfield,” James shared. “For the most part, I was happy with our effort on both ends of the floor.”

Prior to the game against JWP, Hayfield averaged 39 points allowed on defense per game. On the other hand, JWP scored an average of 64 points per game going into the game. The unstoppable force met the immovable object.

Hayfield showed they still had some of the talent that helped them become Class A state champions last season. It was one of JWP’s better games defensively. But Hayfield was much tougher, and the Bulldogs could only churn 19 points in the first half.

“They are very good defensively,” James said. “We were very short handed in this one missing one starter - Caleb Quast - and Cole Schlueter missing the second half with an injury. We also didn’t have the best shooting and uncharacteristically struggled from the line.”

Individually: Bauer, 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a deflection, steal, and block; Memphis James, 10 points, 3 assists, 2 defensive rebounds; Ethan Born, 4 points, 3 defensive rebounds; Austin Quast, 2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 deflections, and a steal; Cole and Schlueter, 2 points.

Tathe boys evened their record at 2-2.