Superlarks lock down Athletics
Published 9:28 pm Tuesday, January 15, 2019
- Grand Meadow’s Colt Landers turns to the basket during the first half against Lyle-Pacelli this season. Herald file photo
LYLE — The Grand Meadow boys basketball team clamped down on defense down the stretch as they beat Lyle-Pacelli 57-46 in Lyle Tuesday.
The Athletics (5-10 overall, 4-6 SEC) grabbed a 38-35 lead when Jed Nelson hit a jump shot with 9:13 left in the game, but the Superlarks held LP to just eight points the rest of the way. GM took the lead for good when Ben Kraft hit a mid-range jumper to make it 40-39 and Austin Funk hit a three-pointer to make it 43-39 with 7:51 left in the game.
“The main thing was that we told our guys was to stay focused,” GM head coach Dakota Rostad said. “We knew (LP) was going to shoot well and play hard. This is their home gym and it’s a good environment for them. We just had to stay the course, keep pushing and never get to high or low.”
Lyle-Pacelli’s Zach Bollingberg reaches out for a loose ball during the first half against Grand Meadow Tuesday night in Grand Meadow. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Sophomore Colt Landers paced the GM offense as he finished with 20 points and seven rebounds. He hit some big shots in the first half and he drilled a three to tie the game at 38 with 8:45 left.
“You try not to force shots. You just take shots when they come and stay strong on the defensive end,” Landers said. “We knew it would be a tough one coming in here. It’s always a tough environment here.”
LP started the second half on a 9-2 run that was capped by a steal and lay-up by Jed Nelson, who had 14 points and nine rebounds. But GM (12-3 overall, 7-2 SEC) was able to slow things down and take control down the stretch.
Ethan Lane stepped up in a leadership role for the Larks as he finished with seven points, eight rebonds, five assists and three steals.
“We had to talk and communicate. We had to be loud,” Lane said. “With this crowd it’s pretty loud in here and we had to be talking.”
Lyle-Pacelli’s Jed Nelson, left, and Colt Landers, right, vie for a loose ball in the first half Tuesday night in Lyle. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
GM 25 32 — 57
LP 19 27 — 46
GM scoring: Colt Landers, 20; Austin Funk, 10; Ethan Gilbert, 9; Jim Baldus, 9; Ethan Lane, 7; Ben Kraft, 2; free throws: 60 percent (9-for-15); rebounds: 34 (Funk, 9); turnovers: 13
LP scoring: Jed Nelson, 14; Aron Hoffer-Toth, 13; Cole Walter, 8; Zach Bollingberg, 6; Mach Diang, 4; Buay Koak, 2; free throws: 50 percent (1-for-2); rebounds: 27 (Nelson, 9); turnovers: 13
Grand Meadow’s Ethan Gilbert heads in for a lay-up against Lyle-Pacelli Tuesday night in Lyle. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
