Basketball Is Back
Author: Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter
Basketball Is Back Eliza McLaughlin - Staff Reporter The Broadwater Bulldogs opened their 2022 basketball season with some in-house competition at the blue versus white scrimmage on Thursday, Dec. 1, and the teams proved that they are ready to take on some other schools.
Although the event’s officials had not arrived by the time the Lady Bulldogs were ready to kick off the event, the game went on without a hitch with the help of player Ryan Racht and boy’s Assistant Coach, Kirk Flynn.
Scrimmage teams — the Bluedogs and the Whitedogs — consisted of both JV and varsity players.
By the end of the first half, the Lady Whitedogs led the Lady Bluedogs 27-10 and were geared up to finish the job in the third quarter.
Number 5 for the Lady Bluedogs, sophomore, Abigail Wickens, got the opportunity to shoot some free throws early in the third, bringing the score to 11-27. Senior, Kady Clark, #45 for the Lady Whitedogs quickly responded with a lay-up followed by a free throw, increasing the team’s lead to 30-11.
But the shots just kept coming, starting with freshman, Emmalin Fischer, #41 for the Lady Whitedogs, followed by #1 freshman, Kaitlyn Noyes, #25 senior, Montana Hedstrom and wrapped up by Fischer.
A basket by freshman, Holly Newman, #11 for the Lady Bluedogs, followed by a successful free throw brought the score to 14-40.
As the clock ticked down, the Lady Bluedogs gained another two points but finished behind the Lady Whitedogs 16-40.
And although the score leaned in one direction, the girl’s head coach, David Lawson, felt positive about the evening.
“What we worked on in practice, we saw glimpses of in the scrimmage,” Lawson told MT 43 News. “We just got to keep on practicing and improving.”
Next came the boys.
The Whitedogs got possession after the toss went out of bounds off a player for the Bluedogs. Testing out the limits of the new shot clocks, the boys ran out the clock several times, eventually getting in a groove with the system.
Sophomore, Deegan Mattson, #1 for the Bluedogs, was first to score, earning three points for his team, which #5 senior Camden Ferguson followed up with a lay-up.
Sophomore Ryedan Reed, #0 for the Whitedogs, responded to the baskets with a three-pointer of his own, bringing the score to 3-5.
The boys proved to have an equal mix of competitive players on both teams, with scoring going back and forth throughout the first quarter. A lay-up by #3 for the Bluedogs, senior, Ryan Racht, upped the team's lead to 7-3. Watching the shot clock tick down, #11 for the Whitedogs made a desperation shot, keeping the teams neck-and-neck at 7-5.
By the end of the first quarter, the Bluedogs maintained their lead 11-5, increasing it to 26-17 by the end of the second quarter.
The match’s intensity increased as the third quarter ran out with a half-court pass from Racht to Mattson, returned to Racht for a textbook lay-up.
The third quarter finished 42-27 with the Bluedogs on top. After convincing the volunteer referee, and head coach for the girls, David Lawson, to stay for the fourth quarter, the game was back on.
Unwilling to lose, the Whitedogs went on a scoring streak starting with a lay-up by Garcia, 29-42.
The boys kicked it into overdrive when the clock broke four minutes, bringing the score to 37-46 after several breakaways by Reed and Garcia.
Garcia rebounded a missed free throw for two points, earning himself a free-throw on the shot, 40-45.
In the end, the Bluedogs maintained their lead 48-40, although shortened by the Whitedogs.
The close game was a testament of how well the boys connect with each other, according to head coach Tyler Patrick.
“I think we got a really tight-knit group of guys, and you can see even when they’re competing against each other, they still love playing together,” Patrick said.
Both the boys' and girls' teams will participate in the Manhattan Tournament on Dec. 9 and 10, this time on the same team. Good luck Bulldogs!
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PhotoCredit: Eliza McLaughlin
Image 1 Caption: Senior Jesus Garcia dribbles the ball down the court during the Blue vs. White scrimmage on Dec. 1.
Image 2 Caption: Senior Montana Hedstrom looks to pass the ball during the Blue vs. White scrimmage on Dec. 1.
