Brady O’Connell was a bright spot for the Bluejays in a 52-32 loss to St. Gregory’s Friday in the consolation game of the NEN Tournament. After losing to Worth County, the Bluejays bounced back with a 21-4 win over North Nodaway. Bentin Roberts started off the scoring with a drive after a pass from Jace Burns, but then it was all downhill from there.
The Falcons started running early and often on the Bluejays with Connolly Mayfield getting four and Kyler Snead and Evan Long getting loose to make it 8-2. Outside shooting from the Bluejays kept them in it for a while as Liam Cordell and Bentin Roberts hit threes to cut it to 9-8. But then Bentin got his bell rung as he hit his head on the floor and Mayfield kept getting behind the Bluejay defense with Roberts on the bench, scoring eight points in a three minute span to start the second quarter to make it 19-10.
The Bluejays got balanced scoring in the second as Brady O’Connell, Liam Cordell, Wyatt Scadden, and Gracin Runde all scored in the period, but it wasn’t enough as the Falcons continued to pull away. But the backbreaker came at the end of the half when Gavin Stiens stole an errant pass with one second left and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Falcons on top 29-16 at the half. Out of their 29 points, 15 of them were in transition as they were beating the Bluejays up and down the floor that half.
Bentin Roberts came back, but all the momentum was on St. Gregory’s side as Kyler Snead got loose on the drive several times and they pulled ahead by as much as 20 in the third. The Bluejays could only muster two free throws from Bentin Roberts and a drive from Liam Cordell as they trailed 40-20 after three.
The fourth quarter was their best quarter as Brady O’Connell suddenly showed what he was capable of with the Bluejays’ backs to the wall. Jace Burns scored from inside and Wyatt Scadden hit two free throws to cut it to 42-24 before fouling out. Without Scadden, St. Gregory’s pulled away to a 48-24 lead behind baskets from Snead, Evan Long, and Mayfield. But then Brady O’Connell went on a big scoring burst at the end, hitting two 3-pointers and a pair of free throws to cut it to the final score.
Brady O’Connell had 10 points for the Bluejays. Bentin Roberts and Liam Cordell had 7, Wyatt Scadden 4, and Gracin Runde and Jace Burns 2 each.
Wyatt Scadden had 8 boards. Bentin Roberts had 3, Jace Burns and Liam Cordell 2, and Brady O’Connell, Gracin Runde, and Brock Adwell 1.
Jace Burns had 2 assists. Wyatt Scadden, Gracin Runde, and Xander Bodle had 1 each.
Bentin Roberts had 6 tips. Wyatt Scadden had 3, Jace Burns 2, and Liam Cordell and Gracin Runde 1 each.
Brady O’Connell had 4 steals. Jace Burns and Wyatt Scadden had 3, Liam Cordell and Bentin Roberts 2 each, and Brock Adwell 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment