Toppers gnawed on by Wolves
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By Missy Klatt
Sports Correspondent
GLENWOOD CITY — Glenwood City boys’ basketball head coach Tristan Kittilson continues to try different starting lineups while looking for that first win. Unfortunately, that combination has yet to be found as the Hilltoppers lost another game, this time to the Wolves of Elmwood/Plum City on Thursday, January 16th.
The Wolves attacked early building a commanding 27-point advantage in the opening 18 minutes en route to the 73-51 win in Glenwood City.
“Very rough first half for us,” were coach Kittilson’s remarks after the game. “We struggled to get the ball in the hoop, did not execute well breaking their press, and allowed way too many points in the paint. Again, too many self-inflicted turnovers.”
At the start of the first half, the Wolves took advantage of those missed shots and turnovers from the Toppers and went on a 12-1 run during the first five and a half minutes of the half. The Toppers were clearly out matched against the taller Wolves and had a hard time defending them in the paint and boxing out on rebounds.
As play continued, the Toppers got on the scoreboard mainly with their inside game, the exception being back-to-back three pointers from Gavin Janson from the baseline with 7:32 and 6:57 on the clock. This narrowed the Wolves’ lead to 24-13. The Wolves then tacked on one more point before Dan Loring found Ethan Hanson under the basket for two more Topper points.
Thanks in part to several Topper turnovers, the Wolves then went on a 17-point run to close out the half and take a commanding 42-15 lead.
Without the press from the Wolves in the second half, the Toppers were able to get things going and actually outscored the Wolves 36-31 in the half. Brandyn Hallquist who scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half was praised by Kittilson who said he played well and made some very nice plays.
Despite playing better in the second half, the Hilltoppers were unable to overcome the huge lead that the Wolves had racked up by the end of the first half. In the end the Toppers trailed the Wolves by 22 points to come out on the losing end 51-73.
The Hilltoppers are 0-5 in league play and 0-10 overall.
Coach Kittilson is hoping to put two good halves together this week. On Tuesday, January 21st, the Toppers hosted the Spring Valley Cardinals. On Friday the 24th, they travel to Mondovi and will be in Siren on Monday, January 27 for a non-conference game.
Glenwood City (51)
FG-FT-F-T: Hallquist 7-2-1-17, Bilese 1-0-0-3, McCarthy 0-0-0-0, Janson 2-0-1-6, Olson 1-1-3-3, Wickman 1-0-1-2, Eggert 0-0-0-0, Grant 0-0-1-0, Hanson 3-2-1-8, Swenby 1-3-3-5, Loring 2-0-2-4, Moe 1-0-0-3. Total 19-8-14-51.
Elmwood/Plum City (73)
FG-FT-F-T: Glampe 3-0-2-6, Hartung 1-0-0-2, Whipple 4-1-0-9, Phillips 3-0-1-9, Giles 4-1-3-9, Carson 0-0-1-0, Gansluckner 1-1-1-3, Webb 6-3-1-15, Bartz 3-0-2-6, Bauer 5-0-1-10, Pelzel 0-2-0-2, Asher 1-0-0-2. Total 31-8-12-73.
Glenwood City……………………..15 36 – 51
Elmwood/Plum City……………….42 31 – 73
3-point goals: Glenwood City: Hallquist, Janson 2, Bilese, Moe. Elmwood/Plum City: Philips 3.