GILMAN BOYS BASKETBALL - Free throws sink Gilman at Holcombe; scoring drought hurts at Loyal

GILMAN BOYS BASKETBALL

The Gilman Pirates fell behind early and never seemed to get into a comfort zone either offensively or defensively Monday in a 71-52 non-conference loss at Lake Holcombe.

The Pirates turned the basketball over 28 times against Lake Holcombe’s high 2-3 zone, leading to 23 Chieftain points and fouls were a major story with Lake Holcombe shooting 33 free throws to Gilman’s four. The Chieftains made 22 of those free throws, led by Brian Strzok, who was 13 for 14 at the stripe as part of his game-high 23 points.

Lake Holcombe looked to create a fast tempo and was successful, jumping out to a 20-8 lead. Taye Yeager, who scored 18 points, hit a trio of 3-pointers in the opening run and Ryley Craker, who also scored 18 points, added another.

Gilman got on its best run of the game when it chopped a 24-12 deficit down to 24-20 with two minutes left in the first half on a rebound basket by Caleb Marion, a Marion score to cap a press break with an assist from Dalton Wisocky and scores from Tony Syryczuk and Logan Halida.

But Yeager stopped the momentum with a 3-pointer and Strzok and Craker added free throws to put the home team up 30-20 at the half. A Chase Burgess basket and a triple from Strzok put the Chieftains up by 15 to start the second half. Gilman got within 35-25 on a Wisocky 3-pointer, 41-32 on a triple by Beau Pockat and 4636 following inside scores from Marion and Brayden Olynick, but the Pirates just weren’t able to string enough stops and scoring possessions together to make a serious run at the Chieftains, who now stand at 7-5 after losing Tuesday to New Auburn.

Marion led Gilman with 10 points and three rebounds. Joey Syryczuk had an active night for the Pirates with nine points and seven boards before fouling out, while Pockat knocked down three triples for nine points. Olynick had six points and five rebounds. Halida added six points, four rebounds and three assists.

Max Ustianowski chipped in with five points, Wisocky had three points and seven rebounds before he too fouled out. Sawyer Winger and Tony Syryczuk each had a basket. Syryczuk had five rebounds and three assists.

The Pirates did rebound well, earning a 47-30 edge on the boards. They had 23 offensive rebounds but, on too many occasions, point-blank putbacks did not fall.

Gilman gets back into Eastern Cloverbelt Conference play tonight, Thursday, when it hosts Spencer. On Friday, the Pirates host another East Lakeland team, the Bruce Red Raiders, at 7:15 p.m. Gilman ends the first round of Eastern Cloverbelt play Tuesday at Columbus Catholic and starts round two Jan. 19 at Owen-Withee.

Loyal 46, Gilman 24

On Friday, Gilman built some momentum with a 13-3 first-half run that created a five-point lead, but that momentum swung Loyal’s way in the final minutes of the half and carried into the second half in the Greyhounds’ 46-24 Eastern Cloverbelt Conference win.

The key shot was a 3-point basket by Landyn Johnson with four seconds left in the first half. The only points of the game for the sophomore put Loyal up 17-15 at the break. Loyal (2-3, 3-8) outscored Gilman 29-9 the rest of the way to secure its second conference win of the season.

The Pirates struggled to shoot the ball all game long, finishing 10 of 47 overall (21.3%) from the field. Just three of those shots came from 3-point range. In the first half especially, the Pirates got some good looks off penetration and offensive rebounds. But opportunities got away and Loyal eventually caught the Pirates after falling behind 15-10.

Loyal led 7-2 when Gilman got into its best offensive stretch of the game. Wisocky scored inside and Winger got to the free throw line on two occasions, making three of four. Gilman answered a 3-pointer from Loyal’s Jacob Schill by getting an offensive putback by Ustianowski, who was fouled on the shot. He missed the free throw, but after several offensive boards, Gilman took the lead at 11-10 when Caleb Marion finally stuck one in.

Tony Syryczuk’s steal and score and another Wisocky hoop made it 15-10 before The Medford Alumni Hockey Association’s 21st annual alumni games were a huge success on Saturday, Dec. 23 drawing a large number of fans and alumni players.

The event raises money for youth hockey, building maintenance at the Simek Recreation Center and the alumni association’s senior scholarships. The event again featured two games with the first game geared toward a slower pace (top photo) and the second one being a faster-paced game. The squads are determined between the white jerseys (odd graduation years) and red jerseys (even graduation years).

The event was made possible through dedicated volunteers, the players, fans, the Medford Raiders’ boys and girls hockey teams, youth hockey parents, EMTs, Nestle Pizza and other businesses that donated raffle baskets. These efforts help the promotion of youth hockey, figure skating and high school hockey in the community. The 2024 alumni games are set for Saturday, Dec. 21.

Loyal was six of 15 from 3-point range, creating a key 18-0 scoring advantage in its win. The Greyhounds were 17 of 45 overall from the field (37.8%) and turned 20 Gilman turnovers into 30 points. Bryce Deegan led the Greyhounds with 17 points, six rebounds and three steals. Cain Toufar had nine points and 10 rebounds and Schill added nine points with three of the team’s six 3s.

Wisocky’s six points led Gilman. Halida had five points and three rebounds. Marion and Ustianowski both scored four points. Ustianowski had eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Marion had six boards. Winger finished with three points and Syryczuk had two points, four rebounds and two steals.

Medford’s Rivalee Stokes and Taylor Heleniak of Northland Pines battle for the puck Monday.

the Pirates went scoreless for the rest of the half.

Ustianowski’s bucket early in the second half made it 19-17, but Loyal then hit the Pirates with a 20-1 run that made it 39-18 before baskets by Wisocky and Halida finally got Gilman into the 20s on the scoreboard.

BOB MAINHARDT/NORTHWOODS RIVER NEWS