Senior Grayson Bouwman produced 15 points during a 22-point third period Saturday, propelling the Fort Calhoun boys basketball team to a third-place finish during the Nebraska Capitol Conference Tournament.
The Pioneers improved to 13-4 with the 45-40 home win against Logan View/Scribner-Snyder despite scoring nearly half of their points during the 8 minutes after halftime.
“We were really 3-point happy,” FCHS coach TJ O'Connor said of his team's first half. “We have good shooters who can make 3s — and you're going to need to make 3s — but sometimes I think we get a little quick on the trigger early in possessions.”
So, at halftime, the Pioneers' coaching staff challenged its team to get back to what it'd planned on doing from the start.
“That was to pound the post and get it to the rim,” O'Connor said. “And, they did that.”
Bouwman was 8-for-9 from the foul line during the decisive third period before FCHS held off the Raiders in the fourth. He had two 2-point buckets and a long-range make during the third, too, finishing with a game-high 21 points.
The third-place matchup, however, got off to a slow start with just 31 combined first-half points. FCHS had 15 to the Raiders' 16 through 16 minutes.
The Pioneers, notably, led 10-9 after one period. Bouwman knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer from the corner just as the quarter was ending. It was his first bucket of the game after Travis Skelton made the first at 3-3.
FCHS stretched its lead to 12-9 during the second period, but managed just three points from there as halftime approached. Colby Bentley knocked down a free throw and Blake Welchert scored from 2-point range.
Altogether, though, the Pioneers scored 30 second-half points to Logan View's 24 in the win. In addition to Bouwman's 21, Skelton and Bentley scored nine apiece.
Kolton Kriete led the Raiders with 15 in defeat.
Cougars best FCHS in semis
Fort Calhoun fell short of a NCC finals appearance Friday against Conestoga.
Bentley scored a team-best 17 points, but the Pioneers lost to the Cougars for the second time this season, 61-53. The visitors improved to 12-1 with the win.
FCHS led 18-16 after one period, but trailed at halftime — 32-28 — and at the end of three quarters, 41-34. Bouwman totaled 13 points, Skelton had 11 and Adam Elofson notched 10, but it wasn't enough for coach O'Connor's squad.
Owen Trofholz, meanwhile, led all scorers with 22 points for Conestoga. He was 4-for-5 from the foul line as the Cougars held onto their lead during the fourth period.
FCHS BOYS HOOPS LINE SCORES
Saturday
Fort Calhoun 45, Logan View/Scribner-Snyder 40
LVSS (6-10) 9 7 12 12 — 40
FCHS (13-4) 10 5 22 8 — 45
Scoring: FCHS — Grayson Bouwman 21, Travis Skelton 9, Colby Bentley 9, Blake Welchert 3, Adam Elofson 2, Declynn Otte 1.
LVSS — Kolton Kriete 15, Grayson Kraus 10, Josh Egbers 8, Nolan Robley 3, Truman Young 2, Max Lange 2.
Friday
Conestoga 61, Fort Calhoun 53
CHS (12-1) 16 16 9 20 — 61
FCHS (12-4) 18 10 6 19 — 53
Scoring: FCHS — Bentley 17, Bouwman 13, Skelton 11, Elofson 10, Otte 2.
CHS — Owen Trofholz 22, Andy Lamoureux 11, Ty Walker 10, Noah Simones 9, Zach Smith 9.
