Greyhounds use big run in first half to run away from Pirates

LOYAL 68, GILMAN 22

The Gilman Pirates got off to a slow start offensively and the visiting Loyal Greyhounds eventually took over with a big run late in the first half and rolled to a 68-22 win Tuesday in the season opener for both Eastern Cloverbelt Conference squads.

The Greyhounds hit five first-half 3-pointers and got at least six points from six players in the opening 18 minutes to build a 44-12 halftime lead. The Pirates scored just three points in the first nine minutes, but Loyal didn’t exactly run away from them until the Greyhounds put 26 points on the board in the last nine minutes of the half and nearly doubled their lead.

“It was a tough start to the season,” Gilman head coach Bobbi Marion said. “We had some good moments. We just have to put it into a full game. Our defense came back much stronger in the second half, but we struggled getting shots off throughout the game.”

Loyal outscored Gilman 24-10 in the second half and was led by Drew Stieglitz’s 16 points, eight of which came in the final 18 minutes. Kaiden Hagen scored eight of his 15 in the first half and Deagen Sandelier scored eight of his 13 in the first half. Hagen had two of Loyal’s six 3-pointers in the game. Jacob Schill had two more 3s and finished with nine points.

Gilman got 10 points from its senior leader Zack Marion, who scored eight of those points in the second half. Caleb Marion chipped in with five points before fouling out and Dominic Franzen hit a first-half 3-pointer. Joey Syryczuk and Bryce Chovan added two points each in the first half.

The Pirates made seven shots from the field and were seven of 14 from the free throw line.

Gilman is at Neillsville Friday. The Warriors got their league season off to a good start Tuesday with a 64-53 win at Owen-Withee. The Pirates will host Colby on Dec. 9. The Hornets postponed their opener at Columbus Catholic after their November run to the WIAA Division 6 football state championship.