Rockets take off just before half to beat Gilman

GILMAN BOYS BASKETBALL

Both teams got off to cold offensive starts, but the Spencer Rockets eventually found their groove late in the first half and pulled away for a 65-26 win at Gilman Friday night.

Through 11 minutes, the score was just 9-3 in favor of Spencer, but the Rockets went on a 19-6 run over the last seven minutes of the first half to build a 28-9 lead at the break.

That tear extended into the first eight minutes of the second half, where the Rockets extended their lead to 51-12 and coasted to their second win of the season over the Pirates and their fourth Eastern Cloverbelt Conference win of the season.

Spencer is 4-7 in league play and 6-14 overall.

Gilman picked up its scoring pace a bit in the last eight minutes and was led by Branden Ustianowski, who scored all seven of his points in the second half. Zack Marion scored all five of his points in the first half before fouling out. Freshman Brayden Olynick hit a second-half 3-pointer and finished with five points as well.

Caleb Marion had four points, while Grady Kroeplin and Joey Syryczuk scored two apiece and Dalton Wisocky added a second-half free throw. Gilman made seven of 14 free throws.

Spencer put three players in double figures, led by 19 from Degan Hainz. He scored 15 in Spencer’s big second-half surge. Noah Schultz scored 12 points, including nine in the first half. Kaleb Brandt added 11 points, nine of which he scored in the first half. The Rockets made 18 of 36 free throws.

The loss dropped Gilman to 0-11 in conference play. The Pirates are 0-16 following Monday’s non-conference loss to Rib Lake. They’ll host conference contender Columbus Catholic tonight, Thursday, before a busy three-game week has them visiting Lake Holcombe on Monday, Owen-Withee Tuesday and Flambeau on Feb. 18.