The Blair boys basketball team scored 60 points in a first-round win against Elkhorn Mount Michael, but managed just 29 during the holiday tournament title game Dec. 30 against Aurora.
The Huskies picked up the 43-29 on the Bears' home floor, sending coach Chris Whitwer's team into the new year with a 6-4 record overall.
“We played really well defensively, holding them to their second-lowest score of the year,” the coach said, starting with the good news. “Offensively, we struggled to find a shot that was consistent. Aurora did a really good job making things difficult for us.”
While Aurora's Dylan Danielson led all scorers with 21 points, Crayton Macholan tallied a BHS-best 11 in defeat. Greyson Kay added 10, too, but it wasn't enough during the 14-point loss.
A day earlier against Mount Michael, though, the Bears ripped off 12-straight points to start the post-NSAA Moratorium schedule. Nolan Slominski scored the tournament game's first bucket before Bo Meier and Kay turned back-to-back steals into points. J'Shawn Unger then hit a 3-pointer, capping a 10-0 90 seconds to start the 60-42 win.
Knights coach Derrik Spooner responded to the immediate deficit by substituting out his entire starting lineup. BHS assistant coach Matt Novak said preparation led to his squad's fast start.
“We had a really good walkthrough practice this morning,” he noted after filling in for Whitwer, who faced travel difficulties getting back home from the holidays. “(The walkthrough) was very detailed and the kids did really well.”
The Bears led Mount Michael 19-2 after one period and 37-13 at halftime.
“We had a good game plan, and coach (Whitwer) helped with that over the phone even though he wasn't able to be there,” Novak said. “All of the coaching staff really did a good job putting together a solid game plan because they can really shoot the ball.”
Blair witnessed the Knights' ability to make 3-pointers during the second half, but still managed an 18-point win.
“Bigs played really well today,” Novak said.
Meier, a 6-foot-5 freshman, scored a team-best 20 points, while Unger — an athletic junior — notched 14.
After the 1-1 holiday tourney showing, however, the Bears had more than a week to prepare for their first game of 2023.
“Now we get to go back and practice tomorrow, and start getting ready for Bennington,” Whitwer said Dec. 30.
This Saturday afternoon's game tips at 2:30 p.m. back on BHS' home floor.
BHS BASKETBALL LINE SCORES
Dec. 30
Aurora 43, Blair 29
AHS (6-3) 6 10 13 14 — 43
BHS (6-4) 10 6 6 7 — 29
Scoring: BHS — Crayton Macholan 11, Greyson Kay 10, Bo Meier 6, J'Shawn Unger 2.
AHS — Dylan Danielson 21, Carsen Staehr 9, Chase Phillips 5, Booker Scheierman 3, Kaiden Wineteer 3, Wade Ohlson 2.
Dec. 29
Blair 60, Elkhorn Mount Michael 42
BHS (6-3) 19 18 10 13 — 60
MM (5-2) 2 11 18 11 — 42
Scoring: BHS — Meier 20, Unger 14, Kay 10, Macholan 6, Bo Nielsen 3, Nolan Slominski 3, Elijah Morgan 2, Easton Bosanek 2.
MM — Lenox Haynes 14, Harrison Long 11, Chop Paljor 7, Kyle Oldehoeft 6, Kume Duop 3, Trayton Marshall 2.
