It was definitely a fight to the finish Saturday night in Le Mars, but the Warriors ended up on top, defeating the Bulldogs 67-62. A game filled with steals, 3-point plays, lead changes, and plenty of bonus free throws had the fans constantly on their feet and players often on the floor. An all-out battle, the Warriors were proud to say they got this win on this one.
In the first few minutes of the game, Chris Kroll stole the ball and took it all the way for 2, plus a free throw, to tie the score at 5. Kroll was the top scorer for SB-L with 21 points. The rest of the first half was back and forth with plenty of action from both teams, but the Warriors went into the locker room up by 3.
To start the second half, Jacob Shultz grabbed the ball off a blocked Bulldog shot and took it for 2 at the other end. Le Mars was fired up, though, and responded with a 3-pointer. Not to be outdone, Shultz took his next opportunity to swish a three for the Warriors. With 16 points, Shultz was the second leading SB-L scorer for the night.
The Bulldogs tried to rally in the fourth quarter, scoring four 3-pointers in just a few minutes, but the Sgt. Bluff boys kept playing hard. Andrew Christensen grabbed a total of 9 rebounds, and Keegan Savary was the third leading scorer with 10 total points despite a bandaged head.
Coach Vander Schaaf comments, “Our boys played a tough, solid game. We had a lot of different players step up and make important plays both offensively and defensively. The guys worked well together on the court, and it was an excellent team effort tonight against a very good opponent.”
The Warriors are now 2-4 for the season, looking for a win Friday night at home against Sioux City East.
