Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Gresham High School junior Neal Cerveny drives to the hoop on a fast break in the first half en route to two of his 20 points on the night.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Gresham High School junior Derek Bowman defends Crandon’s Richie Weber during the second half of Gresham’s 63-37 season-opening victory Tuesday.
The first game of the season included a few early turnovers and a slow start offensively for the Gresham High School boys basketball team.
Junior Neal Cerveny acted as a catalyst, however, as the Wildcats got untracked for a 63-37 win over Crandon on Tuesday in Gresham. Cerveny finished with 20 points and eight rebounds.
“We were a little sluggish, especially on the offensive end, we just didn’t really get into a rhythm,” Gresham head coach Jeff Zobeck said.
With the game tied at 9, the Wildcats exploded for a 12-0 run, led by Cerveny’s eight points and an assist. Crandon switched to a 2-3 zone to try to slow Gresham, but the Wildcats continued to create fast-break points and second-chance scoring.
Zobeck’s team did not practice against a zone prior to the game, but the Wildcats found holes in the zone and open lanes to the basket.
“We had five practices and a scrimmage, so you don’t really have all the details worked out, but I thought we adjusted and did what we needed to do in the first game of the season,” Zobeck said.
The halftime score of 31-19 was the closest the Cardinals would get the rest of the night.
“We gave a good effort, but they’ve got a good ball team,” Crandon head coach Jim Van Zile said. “They’re going to be alright in their conference.”
Gresham, at points throughout the game, showed off its crisp passing, which led to easy scores for sophomore Todd Otradovec and senior Beau Hoffman.
Sophomore point guard Drew Haffner struggled shooting the ball, missing all of his 3-point attempts, but found other ways to contribute with 10 assists and five rebounds.
“He didn’t take any questionable shots, and they just weren’t going in, but I always tell the guys that if things aren’t going your way with what you’re doing, go a different way,” Zobeck said. “He’s always been a pass-first guy in the first place. He just did a tremendous job, I thought.”
Junior forward Derek Bowman pulled down 14 rebounds while adding five assists and six blocks for the Wildcats. Otradovec finished the game with 15 points.
The Wildcats, despite controlling every aspect of the game Tuesday, have some work to do get to where they want to be for the beginning of Central Wisconsin Conference-10 play on Dec. 4.
“I think our work over the next few practices before our next nonconference game will show if they realize we aren’t perfect yet,” Zobeck said. “I know we’re not; we’re a work in progress, so I think they realize there’s a lot of stuff to clean up yet.”