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#2 Miners surge by Braves with a strong start
Shulls-Bel BBB Meyer drive 2 color
SHULLSBURG CENTER Joey Meyer (#22) tries to drive around Belmont defender Jake Wedig (#24) during Thursdays Six Rivers West boys basketball game. Meyer scored a game-high 17 points in a 73-29 win.

    BELMONT – The #2-ranked Shullsburg Miners boys’ basketball team got off to a fast start at Belmont on Thursday night. A very fast start.
    The Miners (4-0 overall, 3-0 Six Rivers West) used an early 27-2 scoring run to charge out to a 54-11 halftime advantage and then cruised to a 73-29 victory over the host Braves (0-7, 0-3) at BHS on Dec. 15.
    A basket by Belmont junior Jake Amenda tied the score at 2-2 moments into the game, but in a blink of an eye the Miners began putting points on the board in bunches as their swarming full-court pressure led to many transition baskets– and a few slam dunks– the rest of the first half.
    Shullsburg’s quick 27-2 surge broke the tie and put them ahead 29-4, and the Miners closed the half on a 24-7 run to build up a 54-11 cushion by the intermission.
    Senior center Joey Meyer scored 13 of his game-high 17 points in the opening half to lead the offensive attack for the Miners.
    Senior Jeremiah Bailey came off the bench to add 11 points, while senior starters Nate Wedige and Lance Lierman chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively, and senior Will Martin and sophomore Jacob Berendes contributed seven and five points, respectively, off the bench for Shullsburg.
    Amenda tallied 10 of his team-high 14 points in the second half to lead Belmont. Jake Wedig netted six points and Colin Austin scored four for the hosts.
      Shullsburg will participate in the annual Mike Alexander Holiday Classic at Benton High School on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 22-23. The Miners will meet Scales Mound in a semifinal game on Thursday at 6 p.m., while the host Zephyrs will face Southwestern at 7:30 p.m. The consolation game will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by the championship game.
    At Monticello, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, the host Ponies got a game-high 16 points from Jon Errthum to keep the Braves winless on the season with a 49-35 non-conference decision.
    Colin Austin poured in 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead Belmont. Jake Wedig added six points and 11 boards, while Amenda tallied five points and four rebounds for the Braves.
    Resse Rufer scored 11 points for Monticello.
    Belmont has a non-conference game at Wauzeka-Steuben on Thursday, Dec. 22, and then has a 15-day break from competition over the holidays.
 
Shullsburg…... 54   19 – 73
Belmont……… 11   18 – 29
    Shullsburg – Lance Lierman 8, Alex Wand 4, Hunter Matye 4, Jeremiah Bailey 11, Jacob Berendes 5, Noah Wand 4, Nate Wedige 9, Joey Meyer 17, Cameron Doyle 4, William Martin 7. Totals – 31  8-17  73.
    Belmont – Colin Austin 4, Justan Ernst 3, Jake Wedig 6, Jake Amenda 14, Brady Wedig 2. Totals – 12  1-6  29.
    3-point goals– S 3 (Berendes 1, Wedige 1, Doyle 1), B 4 (Ernst 1, Amenda 3). Total fouls– S 7, B 17. Fouled out– none.

Belmont……… 0   0 – 35
Monticello…… 0   0 – 49
    Belmont – Ethan James 2, Luke Kamps 3, Colin Austin 12, Justan Ernst 4, Riely Cutler 1, Jake Wedig 6, Jake Amenda 5, Brady Wedig 2. Totals – 14  4-6  35.
    Monticello – Price 5, McCoy 8, Ryan 7, Blumer 2, Errthum 16, Rufer 11. Totals – 17  13-30  49.
    3-point goals– B 3 (Austin 2, Amenda 1), M 2 (McCoy 2). Total fouls– B 20, M 12. Fouled out– B: Austin.