Eagles edge Tigers in early CLC showdown
HOWARDS GROVE – It was fitting that Central Lakeshore Conference title contenders Howards Grove and Sheboygan Christian battled to the wire in a boys basketball showdown here Tuesday night.
Reigning CLC champion Christian pulled out a thrilling 52-50 win before a fired-up full house. Senior Joe Meerdink’s free throw with four seconds left put the Eagles ahead, 51-50. Meerdink was fouled inside away from the ball on a questionable call after a missed shot from the outside by Tiger guard Eric Dickmyer.
Meerdink missed his second free-throw attempt and Howards grabbed the rebound. After calling a timeout, the Tigers threw the ball away on the inbounds pass.
The game was the league opener for both teams. The Tigers’ overall mark slipped to 1-1.
“Of course, it was a tough loss but we showed we can play with Sheboygan Christian,” said Tiger head coach Chris Schroeder who said his team can build on this game.
“We played much better than we did Saturday night [in 54-47 win over St. Mary’s Springs of Fond du Lac].”
Schroeder was impressed with senior forward Aaron Wagner’s overall game. Wagner shared team scoring honors with 12 points, led Howards in steals with three and had five rebounds, plus two assists.
Wagner’s three-pointer with 1:06 left gave the home team a 50-47 lead. The coach thought Eric Bruesewitz and Matt Wleklinski played well.
JV GAME
Howards breezed to a 57-20 junior varsity win. Davis Nennig and Mike Davis keyed the Tigers’ attack with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
| BOYS
| |
| BASKETBALL
| |
| SHEB. | 52 |
| CHRISTIAN | |
| HOWARDS 50 | |
| GROVE | |
Score by Quarters
Sheb. Christian……..14 10 9 19 – 52
Howards Grove.…….10 11 13 16 – 50
Sheboygan Christian scoring: Andrew Stecker 24, Lee Veldkamp 7, Zachary Flipse 2, Jeremy Jensema 6, Joe
Merdink 13.
Howards Grove scoring: Eric Dickmyer 10, Eric Brusewitz 12, Josh Horness 12, Aaron Wagner 12, Matt Wleklinski 2,
Zach Morgen 2.
Three-point goals: Stecker 3, Meerdink 1, Dickmyer 2, Bruesewitz 2, Wagner 2.
Field goals: Christian 18-31, 58%; Howards Grove, 17-39, 44%. Free throws: Christian 12-20, 60%; Howards Grove
10-13, 77%.
Rebounds: Christian 19, Howards Grove 20. Turnovers: Christian 11, ___________________________ Howards Grove 18.
