Hilltopper boys wrangle Wolves, snap three game losing streak
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by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
PLUM CITY — Heading into their January 25 contest against Elmwood-Plum City, Glenwood City boys’ basketball team had lost three straight and six of their last eight games and were looking for any way to notch a win.
While the Hilltoppers struggled from the field on the night (17-46) they jumped out to an early 9-0 lead, and never trailed on the night, and held the Wolves to only 24 percent from the field to find the win column and jump above .500 on the year.
Leading 6-0 to start the game, Topper guard Brody Olson drained a three pointer from the top of the key to extend his teams lead to nine. After Elmwood/Plum City found the basket for the first time on the night, the Hilltoppers extended their lead to ten at 12-2.
Glenwood City maintained a near double-digit lead for a majority of the first half, however the Wolves battled back. A 13-6 run down the stretch saw Elmwood/Plum City cut the Topper advantage to a single point at 21-20 late in the first half. A Glenwood City field-goal extended their lead to 23-20 at halftime.
Glenwood City pushed the lead back to ten early in the second half with a run of their own, scoring the first seven points, to jump ahead 30-20. The early run was capped by a corner three pointer from Tyler Harrington.
When the Wolves were able to cut the Topper advantage to 36-33, Harrington struck again. The junior drained his second three pointer of the night, this one from the opposite corner, to stymie the Wolves attack and put Glenwood back up by six.
Moments later, Morgen Eggert picked up a loose ball near midcourt and converted the layup for a Hilltopper eight-point lead.
Up 41-33, Glenwood City struggled to put away Elmwood/Plum City. The Wolves scored nine of the final 11 points of the half to trim the Topper advantage to one. Regardless, the Hilltopper defense was able to stiffen in the final moments and hold on for the 43-42 victory.
Olson led all Topper scorers on the night with 14 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Harrington pitched in 11, including two from behind the arc. Eggert, Zach Hill, and Brody Riba each had six.
The win moved Glenwood City (8-7, 3-5) into fifth place in the conference standings, a half game behind Colfax.
The Hilltoppers will host Spring Valley, sitting second in D-SC standings, on January 30 before heading to Mondovi on February 2 for a matchup with the Buffaloes. Both games tipoff at 7:15 p.m.