Raiders survive upset scare in Altoona, bury Hatchets quickly
MEDFORD BOYS BASKETBALL
Needing others to step up to take advantage of triangle-and-two defense the Altoona Railroaders used to deny Logan Baumgartner and Tanner Hraby from getting open space, the Medford Raiders got just enough of it, especially from Charlie Kleist and Zach Rudolph, and tightened up their own defense when they had to Tuesday while escaping with a 56-54 non-conference win.
Kleist produced an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double with he and Ty Metz providing 11 key offensive rebounds with the room they had to operate in the paint and Rudolph had a career night with five 3-pointers, 17 points and three steals Medford Athletic Hall of Famer Paul Henrichs had his Railroaders (2-5) ready for his alma mater and they nearly sprung the upset, leading for the vast majority of the game, including by as much as 11 in the first half.
But despite being locked down by Altoona’s faceguarding defenders, Baumgartner and Hraby got some key buckets late, as did Rudolph and Kleist. Medford’s 16 offensive rebounds and 20 forced turnovers also loomed large as the Raiders improved to 6-2 while overcoming their own 17 turnovers and 35.7% shooting from the field and 50% shooting (8 of 16) from the free throw line.
Connor Lewis, a 6-6 junior forward led Altoona’s upset bid by scoring 20 points while sinking eight of 17 shots, and he had eight rebounds. Keaton Camastral had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Medford’s only lead of the first half came on a Rudolph 3 in the opening moments that made it 3-2. A Baumgartner 3 tied it at 6-6, then Altoona grabbed control with a 13-2 run that put it ahead 19-8. The Raiders got within 21-18 following a corner 3 from Baumgartner, who wouldn’t score again until a three-point play midway through the second half, a free throw from Kleist and a putback from Metz. Rudolph’s 3 made it 23-21, but Altoona got triples from CJ Varsho and Camastral before another long shot from Rudolph made it 29-24 at the half.
The second half went back and forth with Medford closing the gap and Altoona responding with a big shot. Rudolph’s fourth 3 finally tied it at 40, but Lewis got free on the baseline and score. Kleist fed a trailing Nick Steliga for a transition layup, but Myles Sinette knocked down a 3 for the Railroaders. Rudolph then tied it again, hitting a corner triple off a crosscourt assist from Baumgartner to make it 45-45.
After a Ben Kuenkel free throw, Medford finally grabbed the lead on Hraby’s first bucket of the night, a long 3 from just left of the top of the key. Baumgartner then hit Hraby with a long outlet pass off a defensive rebound to give the Raiders a 50-46 lead. Those were the only five points Hraby got, but they were big.
After another stop, Kleist worked free for a score on the baselline to open up a six-point edge, but back came Altoona with a Lewis hoop and a Kuenkel 3 off Zavondre Cole’s offensive rebound. Kleist hit a bonus throw, the Raiders got a turnover off a trap in their halfcourt defense, leading to two bonus throws by Kleist and a 55-51 edge. Lewis tightened the screws again with a 3 with 20.5 seconds left, Metz hit one bonus throw and one final outstanding defensive possession only allowed Altoona an off-balance 3-point heave by Camastral at the buzzer that missed the mark.
Baumgartner was held to a season-low nine points, but he had four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Metz had five points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. Hraby had four assists and four rebounds. Steliga had a bucket and Charlie Gierl had two points and a steal.
The Raiders should get a couple of good tests next week at the Sheboygan North holiday tournament. They’ll face Brookfield Academy (3-1) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Sheboygan North (5-1) faces Fuller Collegiate Academy of Milwaukee (2-0) in game two Wednesday. The winners will play for the tournament championship Thursday at about 7:30 p.m. while the consolation game is set for 6 p.m.
Medford 88, Tomahawk 33
Medford set the tone with outstanding defense Friday and built off of that, executing well in most phases of the game while crushing an undermanned Tomahawk squad 88-33 at the Hatchet Fieldhouse.
Medford forced 25 turnovers and scored 35 points off of those, but the defensive success included more than forcing turnovers. The Raiders allowed very few open looks, limiting the Hatchets to 27.1% shooting from the field (13 of 48), gave them few gaps to exploit and little room to work with, especially in the first half when Tomahawk made only four of 21 shots and turned the ball over 19 times.
The Raiders led 52-10 at halftime, putting the game away quickly with a 31-4 start that covered the first 10 minutes.
Medford shot 52.6% from the field (30 of 57), including eight of 22 from 3-point range and made 20 of 24 free throws (83.3%). The Raiders collected 16 steals, blocked six shots and only turned the ball over five times.
Hraby scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the first half. He was three of five from long range. Kleist was active with 12 points, three rebounds and two blocked shots, while Baumgartner added 11 points, six assists, seven steals and four rebounds.
Off the bench, Gierl had a big night with 13 points on five-of-six shooting, including two of two from long range, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Both of his 3s came in the first half and he added a pretty step-through move in transition after picking up a loose ball in the second half.
Metz had nine points, four rebounds and three steals. Steliga contributed seven points off the bench and Logan Gubser did well in his most significant time on the floor thus far with six points, two rebounds, a steal and a block. He recovered his blocked shot and went coast-to-coast for a layup that made it 76-23 late in the second half.
Owen Stockwell scored his first five varsity points, including a late 3, and Rudolph scored two points and added two rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Joey Reiter led the winless Hatchets with eight points, while Gavyn Palmer added seven.
