Glenwood City boys fall to Spring Valley Cards in conference basketball opener
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TOPPER junior Brody Riba score a two points on this layup during a December 12 home basketball against Spring Valley. Riba finished with 15 points, but Glenwood City came up short in the final count. losing 65-44 to the Cardinals. —photo by Jacob Maes Photography
by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
GLENWOOD CITY — After splitting two non-conference games to begin the season, the Glenwood City boys’ basketball team jumped into conference action last Thursday, December 12 with a game against Spring Valley. Like the Hilltoppers, the Cardinals were 1-1 and looking to get off to a hot start in Dunn-St. Croix action.
Spring Valley is led by a pair of returning seniors in Cade Stasiek and Masyn Wolf, who combined, averaged 25 points per game last season and led the Cardinals to a third-place conference finish and an overall record of 19-7. The duo combined for 38 of the teams 66 points on the night to push Spring Valley past Glenwood City 66-44.
Brody Olson scored on back-to-back possessions to begin the game to put the Hilltoppers up 4-0. After Spring Valley trimmed the Hilltopper lead to 4-3, Brody Riba’s fast break layup pushed Glenwood’s lead to three at 6-3. However, Spring Valley answered with a 9-3 run to take the 15-9 advantage with 10:30 left in the first half.
The Hilltoppers halted the Cardinal run with a Tyler Harrington three pointer from the top of the key to bring Glenwood City to within three points. Riba converted on a baseline jumper on the next possession to trim the Cardinal advantage to one at 15-14 midway through the first half.
The Cardinals and Hilltoppers traded baskets the next couple of minutes with Spring Valley maintaining a slight advantage at 20-17 with seven minutes left in the first half. However, a 15-3 run by Spring Valley over the next five minutes pushed the Cardinals to the 35-20 lead with two minutes left in the half. The lone Hilltopper scoring in that stretch was a corner three from Harrington.
A conventional three-point play from Riba and a pair of free throws from Olson helped cut into the Cardinal lead but the Hilltoppers went into intermission down 37-25.
Spring Valley started the second half scoring on its first three possessions to push its lead to 44-25.
GLENWOOD CITY’S Ben Klatt attempted a shot in the Toppers’ December 12 home game versus Spring Valley. Klatt had three rebounds and a steal in the game. The Toppers lost 65-44. —photo by Jacob Maes Photography
However, the Hilltoppers were not quite finished yet as they proceeded to go on a 11-2 run over the next four minutes to trim the Cardinal lead to ten at 46-36. Olson started the run with a pair of free throws and then short jumper to make the score 44-29. A Riba layup, followed by an Olson 3-pointer trimmed the Cardinal advantage to 46-34. Harrington cut the lead to ten on a baseline jumper with 11:50 left in the game.
Spring Valley scored five consecutive points to stem the Topper run. Olson scored on consecutive possessions to keep the Hilltoppers in striking distance at 52-41 midway through the second half.
Regardless, the Cardinal defense proved to be too strong as the Hilltoppers managed only three points in the final nine minutes of the second half as Spring Valley prevailed 66-44.
Glenwood City (1-2, 0-1) only had four players score on the evening. Olson paced his team with 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting. This is the second game the junior has broke the 20-point mark as he scored 25 in the season opener versus Cornell. He also contributed a team high seven assists.
Riba added 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Harrington added eight points. Brady Thompson led his club with eight rebounds.
The Hilltoppers host two games prior to the Christmas break. They hosted Mondovi on December 12, the game was not completed in time for this edition. They then finish the week hosting last year’s conference champion Durand-Arkansaw on December 20. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.