MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Nov. 21–28)
BOYS BASKETBALL: Cuba City 67, Galena 63
By Casey Lindecrantz, Tri-County Press
Cubans win nailbiter in Schieve's first game at helm
CUBA CITY — The Cuba City varsity boys’ basketball team kicked off its first season without Jerry Petitgoue in more than 52 years at home against Galena on Monday in a win for Cubans, 67–63.
“We just started playing together in June and we played in a couple summer tournaments,” Cuban head coach Tanner Schieve said. “We lost maybe five or six games in overtime so that was good practice for the season.”
The opening to Monday’s showdown against the Pirates (3–1) didn’t disappoint in the thriller department, as neither squad held a lead larger than four points until Galena grabbed a 20–14 advantage beyond the 9-minute mark.
With 3:19 left in the first half, Cuba City (1–0) reached a 25–25 lock with the Pirates, and the game looked like it’d head to the break with a narrow lead at most.
Then Galena’s baskets started dropping, and it went on a 9–1 run to close the half.
Sitting with a 34–26 deficit at the half, Cuba City needed to regroup during the 10-minute stoppage.
“Being so young, they had some first game nerves and we could tell at half that they just needed a reminder to calm down and play with confidence,” Schieve said of the first half. “The Pirates just made shots. They shot 50% from (outside the arc) in the first half and we only shot 23% from the field — so I justed reminded them to stay patient and keep playing their game.”
The break was needed for the Cubans, as Gavin Vaassen found Miles Hinderman (11 points) wide open outside the arc, who drained a 3-pointer to score the first points for Cuba City in the second half at 15:44.
Andy Miller (6 points) got the Cubans to within five points, scoring a fouled shot in the paint and the bonus to bring the score to 37–32 less than four minutes into the second half.
Vaassen came up big 60 seconds later. Henry Kruser stole the ball in the Cuba City paint and fired the pass to a returning Vaassen (17 points) who sank the ball, bringing the Cubans within three points.
Vaassen then tied the game up by 13:04 at 37 points, draining a shot under the hoop and making the resulting and-one.
Galena broke the stalemate seconds later as Samual Amaya (16 points) sank the second of two free throws.
Cuba City responded with a pair of free throw makes from Tyson Richard (12 points), putting the Cubans up 39–38.
A quick two in the paint by Myles Schumacher (5 pts, 1 2pt, 3-for-4 ft) traded the lead yet again, but Cuba City wouldn’t lie down.
Nate Timmerman set a pick beyond the arc for Talan VanNatta (10 points). He rolled around the setup and had an open look at the basket. The resulting shot swished through the net, giving the Cubans a 42–40 lead at 11:20.
Vaassen made a two along the elbow at 10:38, Talan VanNatta made a second chance shot from an offensive rebound at 9:55, with a Pirates timeout following soon after.
The breather helped put points in Galena’s favor as Owen Hefel (13 points) put down a two close to the hoop a minute later.
After a scoreless back-and-forth, Talan VanNatta ripped the ball out of Amaya’s hands. Talan VanNatta composed himself at half court, then found Richard open for a 3-pointer. His shot flew true, putting Cuba City at a 49–42 advantage with 7:59 left to play.
Another 40 seconds ran off the clock with the Cubans having possession of the ball. Trevor VanNatta maneuvered with the ball, found Kruser (8 points) open around his defender. Kruser spun into the paint and lifted the ball to the hoop to put Cuba City up nine points, 51–42.
Galena finally tallied a 2-point basket at 6:52 as Joey Heller floated a jumper off an inbounds pass from Schumacher.
The Cubans erased the gain from the Pirates’ score as Richard drained a 2-point basket of his own 50 seconds later. Galena climbed two points closer as Josh McNett intercepted a pass and took the ball pressure-free to the hoop just past the 5-minute mark.
Richard answered the call yet again, sinking a heavily contested 3-point shot at 4:40, giving Cuba City its first double-digit lead of the night.
10 seconds later, Connor Glasgow (18 points) sank a two under the hoop with three Cubans around him, and the Pirates called a timeout.
At 4:07, Glasgow got a chance for two free throws at the line, and he made both. 20 seconds later, he sank another two with a bonus opportunity, but missed that free throw.
Cuba City had a 56–52 lead with 3:44 to play, and after patient passing, Miller found Kruser crashing to the hoop for a basket.
Glasgow made it to the line for another pair of free throws moments later, though he only sank the second.
Galena’s defense left holes for the Cubans to sneak through on the following possession, and Miller got the assist again, this time to Hinderman, putting Cuba City up 60–53 with 2:51 left to play.
Glasgow continued to be the reason for his team’s points in the second half, as he made both free throw attempts during another trip to the line 10 seconds later. He then scored a three on a wide open jumper moments later resulting from a Cuban turnover at 2:25.
Vaassen put his team ahead at the line, making the first of two free throws with 40 seconds knocked off the clock.
The Pirates got the defensive rebound on the second attempt, and looked poised to climb within one point. A Galena turnover at 1:20 had other plans, and Cuba City took a timeout.
The Cubans took 14 seconds off the clock, but a wild pass was intercepted.
Cuba City played carefully, not fouling while the Pirates had the ball, but a missed three from Glasgow guarded by Kruser was rebounded by Vaassen.
Vaassen took the ball across the half court line and released a pass to Hinderman. He drove to the hoop and was fouled as he lifted the ball to the hoop with 33.0 seconds left to play.
He made the first of the one-and-one trip to the line, but missed the second. Luckily, Kruser reached in to grab the rebound and kicked the ball out to Hinderman. Galena cornered him at the halfcourt, garnering a Cuban timeout with 25.6 seconds left on the clock and a 62-58 lead in their favor.
A tripping penalty was called against the Pirates after the break, sending Hinderman to the line for two with 22.8 on the clock. He drained both, putting a 6-point buffer between Cuba City and Galena.
After a few missed shots from the Pirates, McNett sank a close two off a rebound with 11.0 seconds to play and a Galena timeout.
The goal was stopping the clock, and the Pirates fouled on the inbounds pass. Vaassen made both shots, keeping the 6-point advantage with 8.7 on the clock.
Galena fired the ball down court, and into Bradon Kevern’s hands who made a 3-point jumper contested by Vaassen. The clock read at 3.1 seconds after the shot.
On the inbounds pass, 0.3 seconds was all the Pirates needed to foul. Vaassen took the trip to the line, sinking the first, but missing the second.
Galena rebounded the ball, but as Amaya shot off the half court attempt, time expired and no fouls were called.
“I think it’s really hard to play a team that already has three games in, and be able to stick with them like we did,” Schieve said. “I thought our kids competed and handled the scouting report really well. Like most first games, there are a ton of things that we need to improve on.”
The Cubans will next play at Belleville (0-0) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
“The first couple of weeks is trying to get a lot of our stuff in so we can be ready to play, and now we can start looking at the details of everything to improve on them,” Schieve said.
Cuba City 67, Galena 63
(from Saturday, Nov. 18 @ Beaver Dam)
Galena 34 29 — 63
Cuba City 26 41 — 67
Galena (3– 1) — Connor Glasgow 18, Samual Amaya 16, Owen Hefel 13, Myles Schumacher 5, Josh McNett 5, Bradon Kevern 3, Joey Heller 3. Totals — 21-49 14-25 63.
Cuba City (1–0) — Gavin Vaassen 17, Tyson Richard 12, Miles Hinderman 11, Talan VanNatta 10, Henry Kruser 8, Andy Miller 6, Trevor VanNatta 3. Totals — 23 13-21 67.
3-point goals — G: 7 (Hefel 3, Glasgow 2, Kevern 1, Amaya 1); CC: 8 (Richard 2, HInderman, Talan VanNatta 2, Trevor VanNatta 1). Team fouls — G: No Data Available; CC: 20. Fouled out — none.
