Thursday night was not good for local teams in the 46th annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic as Trico and Steeleville both lost to Monroe County teams in pool play.
Columbia 54
Steeleville 43
Columbia used a balanced scoring attack to pull away from Steeleville Thursday night to remain unbeaten in the 46th annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic.
The Eagles outscored Steeleville in every quarter including 33-25 in the second half to soar to the 11-point win.
The Warriors stayed with the much larger Columbia squad in the first quarter as Colin Smith posted six points in the opening frame as his team only trailed 10-8.
Steeleville used a 5-2 run to start the second quarter to reclaim the lead after a Torrey Gerberding three-pointer, but Columbia answered back with a 9-0 run for an eight point advantage, 21-13.
Gerberding nailed another three-pointer in the quarter to cap a 5-0 run by the Warriors as they trailed 21-18 at halftime.
Bryce Bastien had seven points in the second quarter to lead Columbia’s attack, while Gerberding finished with six to pace Steeleville.
Columbia threatened to run away with the game in the third quarter, outscoring Steeleville 15-11 for a 36-29 advantage heading into the fourth.
The Warriors had no answer for Columbia’s quick transition game and Wilson Baab was constantly beating the Warrior defense down the court as he posted 10 points in the quarter. The Eagles also got seven points from the free throw line.
Columbia used a 12-6 run in the middle of the fourth quarter to push its lead into double digits and coast to the win. Steeleville’s Andrew Pokrzywinski scored six consecutive points in the fourth before fouling out.
Columbia had four players reach double figures in scoring as Baab finished with 20, Bastien and Tanner Hall each had 11 and Billy Haag added 10.
Smith finished with 16 to lead the Warriors, while Pokrzywinski had 11.
Columbia improved to 2-0 in Pool B, while Steeleville finished pool play with a record of 0-3.
Waterloo 51 OT
Trico 49
Poor free throw shooting and a sluggish start cost Trico Thursday night with a 51-49 overtime loss to Waterloo in the 46th annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic Thursday evening.
The Pioneers made just 9-of-20 from the foul line in a game where every point became crucial.
Trico began the game on the wrong foot, falling behind 9-2 as the Pioneers made just 3-of-8 shots in the opening quarter.
However, Logan Thies scored four points in the frame to spark an 8-2 Trico run as the Pioneers trailed only 11-8 at the end of the first quarter.
Trico’s offense and defense picked up in the second quarter as the Pioneers made 5-of-6 shots, while holding Waterloo to just 4-of-13 from the field.
Unfortunately for Trico, two of those shots were big three-pointers and Waterloo still outscored Trico 12-11 in the quarter for a 23-19 halftime advantage.
Thies had five points in the second quarter, while Jesse Smith posted four.
In the first half, Trico committed seven turnovers, while Waterloo had just two including none in the second quarter.
A 3-0 run by the Pioneers to start the third pulled them within one point of Waterloo, down 23-22.
Waterloo responded with a 12-4 scoring run to push its lead to nine points, which it would hold for the remainder of the quarter. At the end of the frame, Waterloo held a 37-28 lead.
Waterloo’s offense was paced by Nick Bretwisch with five points in the quarter, while Trico big man Chase Heins also had five.
Trico’s intensity went up a notch in the fourth quarter outscoring Waterloo 15-6. Thies led Trico with seven points in the period, but it was Tyler Coleman that came through in the clutch.
Coleman hit two three-pointers in the quarter including one with just 54 seconds remaining left on the clock to tie the game up at 43-43 and force overtime.
Waterloo took the early advantage in the extra session after Bretwisch nailed a three-pointer for a 46-43 lead.
Trico answered back and after a layup from Smith and two made free throws from Thies, the Pioneers had their first lead of the game since early in the second quarter.
The lead would be short-lived as Waterloo’s Zach Dhom scored the next four points to give his team the lead for good.
After a layup from Thies and just one free throw made from Bretwisch, the Pioneers had a chance to tie or win the game with 5.4 seconds left.
Trico coach Shane Hawkins drew up a play in time-out that gave Thies an open look from the top of the key, but the shot hit the back of the rim and out away from the hoop as Waterloo escaped with the 51-49 victory.
Thies finished with a game high 21 points, while Smith and Heins each added eight to lead Trico.
Bretwisch finished with 18 points to lead the Waterloo attack.
Trico fell to 1-1 in Pool A, while Waterloo improved to 1-1.