Sports
Braves a perfect 10
Tyler Ohmann
01/10/2012
Bottineau senior Justin McCloud’s 57 points pushed the Braves to two more wins and kept them undefeated at 10-0.
McCloud began the week with 24 points in a 65-53 win in Kenmare on Tuesday and then a 33-point performance in a 77-56 over district rival Dunseith.
On Tuesday the Braves tested their metal against the Honkers on their court. The Braves opened up a nine-point lead by halftime. By the end of the third quarter that lead expanded to 13. Holding of the Honkers was no easy task, but McCloud and seniors Mark LaCroix, Matt Bowers and Devon Grenier stepped up to the task.
LaCroix finished with 14, Bowers had 10 and Grenier added nine as the Braves improved to 9-0 with the 12-point win.
Hunter Harris had 15 to lead the Honkers.
The Braves extended their winning streak to 10 with a 77-56 win over Dunseith in Bottineau on Thursday night. The final score was not indicative of how the game played out, however.
A quick and decisive Dragon effort left Bottineau reeling in the first half, and the Braves led by only three at halftime. That was when Head Coach Nate Simpson decided it was a time for a defensive change.
“Coach decided change us up into that 1-2-2 defense again; we were struggling in the man,” said senior Mark LaCroix. “We made them force some shots they didn’t want to shoot, and they weren’t falling, and that was pretty much the difference in the second half.”
The zone defense was the same tactic the Braves ran in their come-from-behind win over Shiloh Christian in the Mandan Holiday Tournament title game a week ago as well. LaCroix said it is something that has helped the Braves stay unscathed this season.
“The 1-2-2 has really been helping us out right now,” LaCroix said. “In the man to man we just have to get better, and with me down low, being short, that doesn’t help us at all, so that 1-2-2 helps us out defensively all around the court.”
In Thursday’s game offensive rebounds were also a help to make a decisive second half where the Braves out scored the Dragons by 18. Senior Seth Bartholomay, who had a season-high 12 points was a big part of that.
“Seth down there with that big body is tough to move,” LaCroix said. “He parks down there and does a heck of a job for us down there.”
LaCroix was a big part too. The senior had 18 points in the win, many of which came from second chances.
“Getting those second chance opportunities that adds another offensive possession that you don’t normally get,” LaCroix said. “That makes a big difference for us to add more points, and gives us more opportunities that other teams don’t get.”
Though the team is happy with a 10-0 start they know not to get too confident, as the district schedule is always unpredictable.
“It has given us a lot of confidence, but 10-0 doesn’t mean much toward districts,” LaCroix said. “Next week we’ve got Westhope and Sawyer and those are two big district games.
“You can’t drop one of those if you want to get the one seed, which is our first goal,” LaCroix added.
The Braves will look to extend their winning streak at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Sawyer. The Flashes stand at 1-6 this season and are coming off a 37-point drubbing at the hands of Drake-Anamoose.
Bottineau will then travel to Westhope for a game against the 4-7 Sioux on Thursday.
The big game for Bottineau during the week will not come until Saturday when the Braves will participate in “Super Saturday” in Minot.
The Braves will be competing in the final game of the day at 7:45 p.m. against second-ranked Berthold, who is also undefeated.