Boys basketball: Packers go full throttle in win over Cougars
Published 11:13 pm Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Austin’s Oman Oman plows through traffic on the way to the hoop during the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers used ball movement and hot shooting to beat the Mankato East boys basketball team 81-67 in Packer Gym Tuesday.
Austin’s Duoth Gach gets the two-handed stuff off the opening possession against Mankato East Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin (9-3 overall, 7-2 Big Nine) used 18 team assists to knock down nine three-pointers on the night and six Packers scored at least seven points. Jace Murray had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Austin and Both Gach added 13 points, three assists and three steals.
“It was probably the best game all year we’ve played offensively,” Murray said. “Defensively, we played a lot better than we did Saturday night against West. We need to start beating some good teams, and I thought East was a good team.”
After trailing 8-5 early on, the Packers used a 17-2 run that saw Zach Coffey and Jany Gash each hit three-pointers to take control. The Cougars (7-4 overall) never got within 10 points the rest of the way.
“I thought we ran a pretty good offense and we shot the ball very well. We got some nice contributions from everybody and I thought Zach Coffey had his best game of they year,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “It was a nice team win.”
Gash, a junior, finished with 11 points in his second straight start after not playing much for the Austin varsity team earlier this season. Despite being on the JV squad, Gash kept working hard every day and he’s now in the varsity rotation.
“Coach just wanted people that competed,” Gash said. “I competed every day in practice, he gave me a chance and I cashed in on it. I’m really patient and I waited for my chance.”
Fadness said the Packers have enough talented players for a lot of them to get shot at playing time.
“We think we’ve got 14 guys that are capable of playing varsity level basketball,” he said. “Quite frankly, when some guys are struggling and other guys are stepping up in practice, that gives the opportunity to make some changes. We’ve got confidence in the guys we’re throwing out there.”
Austin’s Jace Murray has his shot contested by Mankato East’s Damani Hayes during the second half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Murray was fouled on the play. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin forced 22 East turnovers in the win.
East 35 32 — 67
Austin 45 36 — 81
Austin scoring: Jace Murray, 16; Both Gach, 13; Kyle Oberbroeckling, 12; Jany Gash, 11; Duoth Gach, 9; Zach Coffey, 7; Mark Manyuon, 5; Tate Hebrink, 3; Oman Oman, 3; free throws: 50 percent (8-for-16); rebounds: 24 (Murray, 11); turnovers: 12
