Weiser men victorious in first home basketball contest
By:
Michelle Estes
Wolverines defeat the Nyssa Bulldogs 60 to 38; Shirts and Cook led the team in scoring
On Wednesday, Dec. 6 the Weiser Wolverine men hosted the Nyssa Bulldogs for the first home basketball game of the 2023-2024 season.
The Wolverines have been practicing diligently and their hard work is paying off. Weiser came away from the night with a 60 to 38 victory. Giving them a record of 4 wins and 1 loss.
Weiser’s basketball team played a solid game, with senior Jack Shirts and junior Kolin Cook leading the charge. Shirts scored an impressive 21 points, while Cook was not far behind with 20 points. The entire team put in a great effort. Several other Wolverines contributed to the team’s success; junior Josh Mizar played a notable role in creating scoring opportunities for the team.
The game looks a bit different this season with the introduction of the 35-second shot clock and the elimination of the one-and-one free throws. Personal fouls are now tallied by quarter and reset at the beginning of the new quarter. Once a team gets their fifth foul in a period, their opponent is in bonus and gets to shoot two free throws. Shooting fouls are still in place where a player who is fouled on a shot is awarded two shots.
Weiser took an early lead and never let it go. Roughly a minute into the game, Wolverine Josh Mizar was fouled while taking the ball to the hoop, making the first two free throws of the night.
Weiser made good use of their quick ball movement and shots in the paint to maintain their advantage. At the end of the first period, Weiser was up 13 to 7.
Weiser began the second quarter with the ball. Senior Braden Phillips, at the top of the key, found Shirts down low for 2 points. Shirts quickly added 2 more buckets off lay-ins. With 5:19 to go in the second, it was Weiser 19, Nyssa 11.
Senior Carter Jensen soon delivered a terrific pass to Cook at the top beyond the arc for Weiser’s first 3-pointer of the night.
A minute later, senior Finn Dolton rebounding hard came down with the ball and rolled it up and over the rim, giving the Wolverines a 24-13 lead.
Near the end of the second, Nyssa committed a shot clock violation, giving Weiser the ball back with 7 seconds remaining. Cook then brought the ball up past the half court line and took a deep shot, draining a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Cook’s 3-pointer gave Weiser a 15-point lead at half, 28 to 13.
The third period was slower paced with both teams frequently visiting the free throw line.
The Wolverines continued to put pressure on the Bulldogs, scoring 18 points in the third quarter; the Bulldogs only scoring 12 points. It was Weiser 46, Nyssa 25 at the end of the third.
The fourth was faster paced with fewer trips to the line. Weiser maintained their pursuit of the ball, creating opportunities to add points.
With 1:30 off the clock in the fourth, Shirts found sophomore Owen Funke on the block for a lay-in. Soon afterwards, Shirts passed the ball to Cook on a back door for 2 more. With 1:55 to go, junior Isai Herrera scored Weiser’s last points of the night. Weiser emerged victorious, outscoring Nyssa 60 to 38.
Scoring for Weiser, Shirts had 21, Cook 20 points, Mizar added 7 and Dolton 4. Funke, Herrera, Jensen and Phillips all had 2 apiece.
Scores at the end of Quarters:
Weiser Nyssa
1st: 13 7
2nd: 28 13
3rd: 46 25
4th: 60 38
Category:
Signal American
18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
Upcoming Events
-
11/14/2024 - 6:30pm
-
11/14/2024 - 6:30pm
-
11/15/2024 - 10:00am
-
11/16/2024 - 8:00am
-
11/20/2024 - 7:00pm