Junior High A-Team Boys Win Opener
On Thursday, November 1, the St. Francis junior high boys basketball team had their first competition date of the season. The young Indians played Decatur Community (DC) in St. Francis. The A-team boys defeated the Red Devils 27-12. The B-team boys lost to DC by a score of 7-27.
Both teams struggled to score early in the A-team contest. St. Francis took a time-out with 1:49 left on the first period clock with the score still tied at 0-0. Moments later, Preston Witzel broke the ice with a left-wing trey after an assist from Ben Busse. Bryant Addleman followed with an offensive rebound basket getting the Red Devils on the board. Chris Espino made one-of-two from the line late in the period to make the score 4-2 at the first quarter break.
A total of 5 points were scored in the second period; all by St. Francis. After a free-throw by Colton Raile, Ben Busse nailed a shot from the left corner (assist Preston Witzel). Raile sank another free-throw in the final minutes of the half to make the score 9-2 at halftime.
Early in the third period, DC's Mason Urban scored on an offensive rebound. The Red Devils would trade baskets with the Indians during the middle portion of the period. DC baskets by B. Gorner and T. Medford were off-set by a deuce and trey by Ben Busse. A basket by Addleman narrowed the margin to 14-10 at the third quarter break.
The final quarter belonged to the Indians. Colton Raile scored the first 6 points of the period earning a post basket on an assist from Chris Espino, a steal-two, and an offensive rebound basket. After a DC time-out in the early portion of the period, Ben Busse added a left-wing trey. A Busse steal and assist led to a lay-up by Preston Witzel moments later (25-10), and the Red Devils took another time-out at 3:28. Only two more baskets would be scored in the contest; one by DC's Grady Lohoefener and one by Busse on a nice post move after and assist by Dawson Rose. St. Francis won the A-team contest 27-12.
Scoring for St. Francis in the A-team game were Ben Busse with 13 points, Colton Raile with 6, Preston Witzel with 5, and Chris Espino with 3. The Indians made 3 of 10 from the line and had 4 fouls.
Five different players scored for Decatur Community. Bryant Addleman led DC with 4 points. The Red Devils committed 11 fouls, but did not shoot any free-throws.
St. Francis lost the B-team contest played at the Grade School. The Indians did not score in the first period and trailed 0-7. Ashton McAtee and Asher Robbins added baskets to the Indians side of the scoreboard in the second period. The Indians trailed at halftime 5-17. After a scoreless third period, Robbins scored again for the Indians in the final stanza. St. Francis lost the B-team contest 7-27. Lukas Zodrow led the Red Devils in scoring with 8 points.
St. Francis will play Hoxie, in Hoxie, on Tuesday, November 6.
