Abby suffers Marawood losses to ‘Jays, Loggers
By Nathaniel Underwood
First half momentum proved difficult to maintain for the Abbotsford boys basketball team over the past week. Both Athens and Phillips were able to come back from doubledigit deficits in the first period and dealt the Falcons a pair of Marawood conference defeats.
Athens, 72-68
Abbotsford saw a 10-point first half advantage fizzle away and needed to rally themselves late in a battle against the Athens Bluejays on Monday evening. Unfortunately for the visiting Falcons squad, their comeback attempt came up short and they found themselves on the wrong side of a 72-68 final.
The two squads were practically even across many statistical categories when all was said and done, shooting almost exactly the same from two point range, matching each other in turnovers and Abbotsford collecting only one more rebound. However, while on the court, both teams dominated different sequences over the course of the contest, leading to significant runs.
Koren Decker hit a three to break an 11-11 tie and two baskets from Payton Schreiber gave the Falcons the first multipossession lead of the game. Athens answered with their own small run to bring themselves back within two points, but eight unanswered points courtesy of Grayson Totzke, AJ Brodhagen and Jack Sheahan gave Abbotsford a 28-18 advantage with just over seven minutes to play in the first half.
The pendulum swung back in favor of the Bluejays after a timeout from the home team. Athens scored on seven of their next eight possessions and the Falcons could not keep pace, ceding their double-digit lead and finding themselves trailing 35-31. Totzke and Sheahan combined to briefly allow Abbotsford to pull back ahead, but a three from Athens gave them a 38-36 advantage heading into halftime.
The Bluejays carried that momentum into the second period, where they opened by scoring on their first four possessions to take their own 10-point lead. A transition basket for Brodhagen stemmed the bleeding momentarily, but Athens would own the early portion of the half, eventually going up 60-45.
Irvin Aguilera hit a three that began Abbotsford’s rally. Decker added a two-pointer, Sheahan connected from deep and a pair of free throws from Aguilera gave the Falcons points on four straight trips down the court, cutting the Athens’ lead down to seven.
Scoring slowed for both teams down the stretch, but Abbotsford slowly chipped away at the Bluejays’ advantage. With just over a minute left to play, a pair of free throws from Totzke pulled the visitors within four points. After Athens missed their free throw attempt, the senior then maneuvered for an open shot under the basket, sinking the close range shot and making the score 70-68.
The Falcons could not close the gap entirely, however, as the Bluejays made their final two free throws and Abbotsford was held scoreless on their final possession.
Brodhagen, Totzke and Sheahn all finished with 12 points as the Falcons spread the ball around on offense. Totzke also led the team in rebounds with six and gathered 10 assists for a double-double performance. He also had four steals. Sheahan had four rebounds while Brodhagen had five and shot 5for-8 from the field.
Decker added another 10 points, Aguilera had a sevenpoint, five rebound, four assist performance and Schreiber finished with six points and five rebounds. Chase Boller made both of his shots to finish with four points, Christian Fuentes had three points and Miguel Bautista had two points.
Phillips, 79-60
While the Falcons led 38-35 at halftime, they were doubled up in the second period in their final home conference game against Phillips last Friday evening. The Loggers shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, scoring 44 points and dealing Abbotsford a 79-60 defeat.
It was a tale of two halves for the Falcons on Friday evening. A rally allowed them to overcome a 10-point deficit in the first half, but Abbotsford could not find the same efficiency on offense in the second period. The home team made half their shots in the first 18 minutes of the contest but went 8-for-26 in the second half, including 2-for-12 from threepoint range.
A free throw from Christian Fuentes briefly gave Abbotsford a 13-12 lead five minutes into the first half, but the Loggers went on to score the next 11 points of the game, giving them a 23-13 advantage.
Irvin Aguilera hit a tough shot in the lane to get the Falcons back on the board and five straight points for Koren Decker helped make it a one possession game. A make from Grayson Totzke countered a pair of free throws from Phillips and Fuentes hit a mid-range jumper to cut the Loggers’lead down to one. Back-to-back steals for Miguel Bautista and AJ Brodhagen turned into fast break points and capped off the 15-2 rally for the Falcons and put them up 28-25.
Phillips briefly regained the lead at 31-30, but Fuentes took it back on Abbotsford’s next possession with a layup. They led for the final three minutes of the half and went into the break with a three-point advantage.
Momentum shifted when the Loggers scored on their first five possessions of the second period. A corner three from Payton Schreiber brought the Falcons back within fourpoints with 12 minutes to play but they could not keep pace with the Loggers as the half continued. A 20-7 run for Phillips following Schreiber’s three put the visitors in full control of the contest, which they ultimately used to come away with the 19-point win.
Four Falcons scored in the double digits on Friday. Aguilera led the way with 13 points and had a team-high five assists in the loss. Decker and Fuentes both added 12 points each and Totzke had a double-double performance, collecting 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Brodhagen picked up six points and six rebounds, Schreiber finished with three points and Bautista and Carter Cihlar both had two points each.
The Falcons will finish out their regular season by taking on Chequamegon at home on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7:15 p.m. They will then play in Edgar against the Wildcats in the first round of the Division 4 WIAA playoffs after earning a 10th seed. The seventh seeded Wildcats are currently 8-14 and finished with a 6-9 record in Marawood conference play. When the two squads faced off earlier in the season, Edgar came out on top, delivering the Falcons a 77-51 defeat. Tipoff for the first round matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m.
BATTLING UNDER THE RIM - AJ Brodhagen hits a reverse layup during the first half against Phillips.
STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
FAST BREAK BASKET - Miguel Bautista turns a steal into two-points as he fights through contact against the Loggers.
STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
SMOOTH SHOT - Grayson Totzke sinks the final shot of the opening period to keep the Falcons ahead.
STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
