WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2011
EAGLES SCORE AND SOAR TO VICTORY OVER HAWKS
Columbia Free-throws a Key to 57-40 Win Over Gibault

By Jamie Carter

The Columbia Eagles Varsity boy’s basketball team played host to the Gibault Hawks last Friday night in what was expected to be an intense, closely contested game against a local rival.  That held true for the first quarter but a strong second quarter by the Eagles combined with a 70% team free-throw shooting effort propelled Columbia to victory in front of a standing room only crowd as the Eagles went on to win 57-40 over Gibault.  According to Columbia Coach Mark Sandstrom it was the kind of win the team needed right now. “We have been inconsistent and we have some losses that we shouldn’t have,” Sandstrom said. “We talk about consistency in practice and this week we were consistent. I think it showed tonight.”

The Hawks jumped out to an 8-2 lead early in the first quarter keyed by the inside play of Nick Kovarik and Spencer Stumpf.  It was a surprisingly low scoring first quarter for both teams as neither could find the outside shot early.  But Columbia managed to get a couple of buckets late in the first to cut Gibault’s lead to two at 8-6.

The Eagles went to their inside game in the second quarter getting some buckets from Taylor O’Connor and Robby Likens to put the Eagles up 12-8.  The Eagles completed a 9-0 run to start the second quarter when Bryce Bastien drove the lane to score and draw a foul, converting on the conventional three-point play to put Columbia up 15-8.  The Eagles strong start in the second quarter set the tone for the rest of the game.  “When they started to make some shots, I thought our offense really went south,” Gibault coach Dennis Rueter said. “We took some shots that we shouldn’t have, missed some shots that we shouldn’t have and next thing you know the lead was gone.”  The Eagles outscored the Hawks 16-6 in the second quarter to take a 22-14 lead at half time.

The Eagles were able to maintain their lead throughout the second half using their inside-out game. O’Connor, Likens and Tommie Lewis kept things nailed down inside while Bastien, Kyle Hunsdorfer and Wilson Babb controlled the outside.  “They were missing shots and we were grabbing the rebounds and that created transition for us,” Columbia senior Bryce Bastien said. “It is something we do well and we wanted to stress that.”  Add to that their best free throw shooting performance as a team this year and Gibault just couldn’t keep up.  Coach Sandstrom referred to the Eagles’ free-throw shooting woes this season as their “Achilles heel”.  But against the Hawks it was not apparent as the Eagles hit 19 of 27 for 70.4%.

Bastien led all scorers with 18 points highlighted by an 11-for-11 performance at the free-throw line. O’Connor added 15 points, Likens had 8 points, Hunsdorfer had 7 points, Babb had 5 points and Lewis with 4 points. Nick Kovarik led the Hawks with 17 points and Spencer Stumpf added 10 points.  The Eagles improved to 14-8 on the season while the Hawks fell to 13-8.