Abby boys get scratched by Wildcats
The Abbotsford boys basketball team was undone by an all too familiar pattern on Friday. The Falcons turned in one excellent half of basketball, and another that the Falcons would like to forget.
Abbotsford could not overcome a slow start on the road against an Edgar Wildcats squad that pushed its current winning streak to seven. The 77-46 road loss to Edgar was the Falcons fourth in a row, but the Falcons have no reason to hang their heads as Edgar is blessed with a senior laden team that boasts height, speed and athleticism.
Edgar has used those traits to launch an all-out assault on the Marawood South, and is sits tied with Auburndale for first in their conference with a 8-1 record and 12-2 mark overall.
Edgar was all gas and no brakes in that first half, leaping out to an early lead and never look back.
Edgar took a 48-19 advantage into the second half, thanks to some tough defense. The Wildcats held Abby to just 26 rebounds, with senior wing Cade Faber accounting for 12 of those boards.
Edgar’s ability to control the glass also extended to their ability to cut off lines and create turnovers, and the Falcons struggled to get shots off, attempting just 37 on the night.
But the Falcons used the second half as a learning experience, and were much better on offense and defense. Hunter Soyk had an excellent night from the perimeter, splashing the nets for 12 points as he finished four of seven from three. Faber notched another double-double, scoring a team high 19 points. Faber’s attacking offensive style paid dividends in multiple ways.
When he wasn’t scoring from the floor, Faber got to the line, and converted eight of ten free throw attempts. The Falcons were nearly even with Edgar in the last stanza, with Edgar being held to 29 points as Abby scored 27 points.
Mason Carpenter and Brandon Hawkey were each able to provide four points, and several younger players took advantage of their playing time, with JV Castillo and Jacob Hirsch each scoring.
Castillo recorded three points, and Hirsch, along with Brandon Diedrich, scored two apiece.
