Posen boys fend off home challenge to notch win No. 7

by Peter Jakey-Managing Editor

Posen stepped up its second-half defense to put away Wolverine Monday evening, 66-52. They trimmed Wolverine’s scoring from 35 in the first two quarters to 17 in the final two. The offense also kicked it into gear when the visiting Wildcats went up by nine in the second quarter.

The Vikings got 32 from Nick Hincka on a night when he was under the weather. His club is now 7-1 on the season, and two away from the 2012-13 win total. Even though Wolverine is 1-3, most agree Wolverine has a solid club. All three losses have come against Posen and Hillman.

 

The Wildcats could not miss if they tried during a stretch in the first quarter when they built a 23-16 lead. It was 29-20 following a Wildcat trey.

“I told them they have to bring it from beginning to end of the game,” said Viking coach Matt Ponik. “You have to bring it every possession, every time.”

Ponik called timeout midway through the second and rallied them to start playing hard.

“We were playing on our heels and a little lethargic, not really moving the ball or our feet,” said Ponik. “I said ‘start playing the way we know how to play.’ They did. They are still learning a lot of things that they had never learned before. I look for them to improve and they are.”

A pair of 3-pointers from Hincka and Travis Sharpe got the rally started, but the turn-around play of the game came at the two minute mark of the second on a pass from Leon Baccard to Hincka on the weakside for the hoop and harm. He missed the free throw, but the Vikings kept possession and Bo Sukas went to the free-throw line and made one to finish the unconventional  3-point play and tie the game at 33.

The defense made a stand on the other end of the court and Hincka bombed one from three-land. John Zaborney’s points in the paint, which were set up by Sharpe’s assist, completed a 13-2 run. Posen’s second half lead was 38-35.

The Vikings started the second half with a 6-0 run and kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard until the 4:36 mark of the third. Another aspect that helped — Wolverine’s shots were not falling like they were in the first half.

The Wildcats converted a couple of field goals, but the Vikes showed a lot of poise and had one of their more patient offensive sets end on a field goal by Baccard. Hincka made a pair of free throws to give Posen a nine-point lead, 48-39.

It disappeared fast when the Wildcats went on a 9-2 spurt to get within two early in the fourth, 50-48.

Again, Posen kept its cool. Zaborney made a jumper on an inbound pass, which was followed by a steal on defense by Sharpe. He raced to the other end of the court and was fouled. He made one-of-two. Wolverine missed a pair.

Sharpe then poured in a three as part of an 18-po

int night. The score was 56-48 when Hincka put the icing on the win by muscling his way to the basket to score a tough two. Then, on his next trip down the floor, he rotated on his pivot to get the open shot and put it down for a 12-point lead.

The Vikes also defeated Atlanta last Thursday, 51-40. Hincka had 15 against the Huskies as did Baccard.

The junior varsity (3-5) won back-to-back games. They knocked off Atlanta, 49-22 and Wolverine, 58-25. Evan Schuch scored 22 in both games.

Nathan Mulka had nine against Atlanta, while Emil Cramon had 13 against Wolverine.