The Paton-Churdan boys basketball team answered a three-point double overtime loss to the Glidden-Ralston Wildcats in December with a one-point victory in Churdan Tuesday night.
The teams stayed within two points of each other for the first 10 minutes of play. The Wildcats were hot early in the second quarter and led 21-14 with five minutes to play in the half.
That was the largest point differential in the game. The Rockets led 28-25 with one minute in the half, but the Wildcats put up six points to the Rockets’ two to take a 31-30 lead into the locker room.
The Rockets held a three point lead briefly midway through the third quarter, but the quarter ended with the Rockets down 48-47. The Rockets were down 57-55 with one minute left to play, but a pair of 2-pointers for the Rockets while the Wildcats made only one free throw put the Rockets up 59-58 at the final buzzer. After 31 minutes of play, it was the final minute that really matters.
Noah Juergensen led all scorers with 26 points. He also had 16 rebounds, four bocks and four steals. Jake Berns scored 17 points and had six rebounds. Joe Towers scored 14 and Charlie Minnehan scored two. Towers was seven of eight at the free throw line.
The Rockets are 12-4 overall while the Wildcats are 8-9.
The girls lost their second game to the Wildcats 58-44. They had lost the December game 42-34.
The girls were in a 10-point hole, 18-8, and the hole was just a bit deeper, 35-24, at halftime. The Rockets had no fuel in the third quarter and fell behind by a 51-27 score. The Rockets dug in for the fourth quarter and outscored the Wildcats 17 to 7, but the deficit was too big to overcome.
“A lot of credit really goes to the Glidden-Ralston team and coaches. They came out ready to play and played very aggressive and physical,” P-C coach Chris Petersen said. “They moved the ball around well and shot the ball very well. They forced us into numerous turnovers with their press and man defense. We will look to get back on track on Friday at Woodbine.”
Carleigh Paup scored 18 points and was seven of seven at the free throw line. Paup also had three steals and three assists. Sydney Koch scored nine points and had three steals and three blocks. Grace Geisler scored nine point, Kasey Lane scored four points and had led in rebounds with eight, Jenna Beyers had three points and Briana Jewett had one.
The P-C girls are 9-7 overall and the G-R girls are 14-3.
