Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School center Zeke Gueths puts up a layup against Wrightstown’s Zac Haese. Gueths finished the game with a team-high 12 points but had only two field goals.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Adam Bartz drives to the basket in Shawano’s 56-51 loss to Wrightstown Monday night at the Sun Drop Shootout at the Kress Center in Green Bay.
With Wrightstown focusing its defense on senior center Zeke Gueths, it was time for the younger players on the Shawano Community High School boys basketball team to step up.
They did, but the Hawks came up just short in a 56-51 loss Monday night at the Sun Drop Shootout in Green Bay.
“Yeah, I definitely like how our young team came out and really were kind of aggressive,” Shawano head coach Dave Ambrosius said. “The moment was not too big for us tonight, and our kids stepped up.”
The Hawks came out strong early, scoring the first 6 points of the contest and holding the Tigers scoreless for nearly two minutes.
Shawano played undefeated Wrightstown even throughout the rest of the half until two 3-point field goals in the final 90 seconds extended the lead to 7 points.
Gueths was held to one field goal in the half, coming with under a minute remaining, before adding the final points of the half on two free throws.
“I like that our younger guys stepped up and were aggressive and looking to score. Zeke had some opportunities,” Ambrosius said. “We just couldn’t get them to go down. He was still being a tremendous leader for us and did a good job for us defensively.”
Taking a 5-point deficit into the break, the Hawks came out strong on the defensive end to open the second half, allowing just 5 points in the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds as they took a 6-point advantage.
After being held to 1 point in the first half, Zac Haese scored 13 second-half points, including 10 of the Tigers’ 15 points in a stretch that gave Wrightstown (7-0, 4-0 North Eastern Conference) a 48-44 lead that they would not surrender for the rest of the night.
“With any good scorer or any team with a good scorer like him, as soon as he hits a couple of shots, everybody starts getting a little more excited, there is a little more energy on their team,” Ambrosius said. “They kind of pulled away from us just enough that we couldn’t close the gap down the stretch.”
Gueths, despite only two made shots on the night, led the Hawks (3-5, 2-1 Bay Conference) with 12 points. Senior Adam Bartz added 11 points.
Shawano missed just six free throws in the game, which allowed the Hawks to stay close late in the game.
“We are a pretty good basketball team. We can play with some of the best teams in the state,” Ambrosius said. “We keep getting close here. At some point, we’re going to figure it out, and once we do, we’re going to be a tough basketball team to beat.”
Wrightstown is ranked ninth in the state in Division 3 in the latest Associated Press basketball poll.
Shawano (51)
Richards 2 0-0 5, Nelson 2 6-8 10, Lacy 3 2-2 8, Hesse 1 3-4 5, Bartz 5 1-2 11, Gueths 2 8-10 12.
Wrightstown 28 28 — 56
Shawano 23 28 — 51
AT A GLANCE
Sun Drop Shootout
Slinger 52 Freedom 49
West De Pere 63 Lux- Casco 62