On a night where few things went right, the Packers boys basketball team ended up on the short end of a 72-47 score to New Prague in Ove Berven Gym Saturday.

The Trojans got their go-to guys some good looks early as Denny Geiger, who scored 22, hit two threes in the first minute of the game, and Connor O’Brien, who scored 28 points, got some easy looks.

“The bottom line is we let their two best players off early,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said.

“Geiger gets two open looks that good shooters make and O’Brien got free for a couple of easy ones. Their point guard (Sam Dittberner) put them in good spots.”

Once the Trojans (12-3 overall) caught fire, they never let up. New Prague shot 88 percent (14-for-16) in the first half and hit 73 percent (27-for-37) of their field goals on the night.

The Trojans led 27-11 with 8:33 left in the first half when the Packers scored five straight.

That’s when Connor Gunderson stepped out of bounds on a three-pointer that would’ve made it 27-19 with 6:57 left in the first half.

But the shot was waved off and Austin (10-3 overall) never got within double digits the rest of the way.

“It was a big, but they just flat out came to play and they looked more athletic than our guys. They got to every loose ball,” Fadness said.

The Packers trailed just 37-28 at the half, but Connor Gunderson picked up his fourth foul one minute in to the second half and he sat the bench for most of the second frame before fouling out with 2:51 left in the game.

“It doesn’t help with Connor on the bench. He was never able to get going,” Fadness said.

New Prague opened the second half with three treys and an 11-2 run to go up 49-29. The closest the Packers got the rest of the way was 14, after Chris Jahr scored to make it 59-45 with 8:07 left in the game.

On the bright side, the Austin Fast Break Club raised $650 dollars for the family of former New Prague head basketball coach Jeff Gravon, who passed away Jan. 21 after an illness with cancer.

Gravon left behind four children.

The money was raised through donations and the half-time hoop shoot.

“It’s just a tragedy and any way we can help is great,” Fadness said.

New Prague 38 34 — 72

Austin 27 20 — 47

Austin scoring: Will Felten, 12; Nate Justice, 11; Marcus Gunderson, 8; Connor Gunderson, 6; T.J. Fritz, 5; Chris Jahr, 5; field goals: 36 percent (16-for-44); three-pointers: 28 percent (5-for-18); free throws: 77 percent (10-for-13); rebounds: 17 (Felten, 5); turnovers: 16

New Prague scoring: Connor O’Brien, 28; Denny Geiger, 22; Sam Dittberner, 14; Jon Schoenecker, 2; Isaac Cross, 2; Alex Dittberner, 2; Andy Zweber, 2; field goals: 73 percent (27-for-37); three-pointers: 42 percent (5-for-12); free throws: 65 percent (13-for-20); rebounds: 19 (Cross, 4); turnovers: 14