Bluejay Basketball
The Bluejays Bust Another Win
by Ella Gaes
On Friday, December 18, the Pierce Bluejays boys varsity basketball team battled to a win against the Columbus Scotus Shamrocks ending with a score of 49-40.
The Bluejays started the game by scoring a total of six points against the Shamrocks who scored only two points. In the second quarter, the Bluejays added an additional 16 points compared to 13 points for Columbus Scotus. The score at halftime was 22-15 in favor of the Bluejays.
After the half, the Bluejays came out and scored 11 points in the third quarter, while the Shamrocks scored 16 points, with the end of the third quarter score of 33-31 with Pierce in the lead. In the final quarter of the game, the Shamrocks scored nine points while the Bluejays scored 16 points to win the game 49-40.
Head Coach Mike Emory commented on the game by saying, “I thought we competed hard through all four quarters, and I thought we found a way to win it in the fourth quarter. We did a nice job making free throws down the stretch.” According to Coach Emory the boys have received the scouting reports for the upcoming games and hopefully they’ve got it down. Emory continues to say, “They're [Archbishop Bergan] probably the best team we will play all year so it will be a good test.”
The top scorer for the Bluejays was senior Dawson Watts with 13 points. Next, sophomore Benjamin Brahmer and senior Chaden Roth both had ten points. Senior David Dale then shot eight points.Following behind him, sophomore Abram Scholting had five and senior Logan Moeller scored three.
Watts also led the team in rebounds with 12 total rebounds. Next, Brahmer captured nine rebounds. Roth also got a hand on six rebounds. Watts and Roth both added 7 points to the board just in free throws.
Tyler Race commented on the game by saying, “I think we did not execute our sets as well as we could’ve, but we played hard to finish for the win.”
The Bluejays will be back in action on December 28 where they will travel to Wayne State College and face Laurel Concord Coleridge at 11:00 a.m. for the Northeast Nebraska Holiday Shootout.
Bluejays Take Great Victory Against O’Neill
by Kallie Edins
The Bluejay basketball team takes their fourth victory of the season on their home court against O’Neill 69-37.
Head coach Mike Emory comments on the game, “We played well defensively for four quarters. We attacked the basket well and shot well from the perimeter.”
Jumping into the first quarter of the game, the Bluejays led by two, 9-7. In the second quarter O’Neill fought back by scoring 10 points making the Bluejays work for their 16 points, but at the end of the quarter Pierce led O’Neill 25-17.
However, in the third quarter the Bluejays picked up their pace and put up on the board 25 points while the Bluejays defense only allowed O’Neill nine points to end the third quarter with the score Pierce 50 and O’Neill 26.
To end the fourth quarter, the Bluejays pulled through and finished the quarter by adding 16 points and O’Neill only added 11 for the final of 69-37.
Earning the most points for the Bluejays was sophomore Abram Scholting with 21 points. Senior Logan Moeller had the second most scoring 13 points. Right behind Moeller was Dawson Watts scoring 11 points. Tyler Race and Ben Brahmer both put up seven points on the board. Chaden Roth and Lucas Gnat also contributed with three points each along with Mason Sindelar and Shawn Rinkel scoring two points each.
Aiding the team in most assists was Brahmer with four. Race, not far behind, had three, along with Moeller adding two. David Dale, Scholting, Trevin Larson, and Rinkel each all assisted one.
Leading the Bluejays in rebounds was Brahmer snatching up ten total rebounds. Watts grabbed five rebounds, along with Moeller getting four, and Scholting boxing out and getting three. Dale, Race, and Luke Collison grabbed two each. Roth and Sindelar both contributed by getting one each.
Commenting on the game is Scholting saying, “I thought we played well and our defense was good, but we could work on turnovers. Individually I think I shot well and looked for the rim.”
Catch the boys back in action on Monday, December 28, for their varsity holiday tournament at Wayne State College.
