BOYS BASKETBALL: Positive, poised Panthers edge Delavan-Darien

Wilmot snaps three-game SLC skid

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

In a boys basketball season afflicted by a series of unfortunate contests, Wilmot Union High School entered its Southern Lakes Conference tilt against Delavan-Darien with a refreshed attitude, according to Panthers coach Jake Erbentraut.

Latrell Glass

Erbentraut, whose team dropped three consecutive conference games, refocused its energy to defeat the visiting Comets 76-59 Friday.

“It feels great, bottom line, it feels great,” he said. “It was the culmination of us being able to fight through the last couple of games..taking them on the chin.”

The turning point, he said, came in a directive to the team.

“I said, ‘We are going to be positive again, we are ready to have fun playing,” said Erbentraut said. “I thought our guys just went out there to play and had fun.”

The fun started midway through the first half, where the Panthers broke away from Delavan-Darien, courtesy of a 26-14 run to give them a 44-33 edge entering halftime.

Wilmot 5-foot-11 junior guard Latrell Glass, who scored five points in his previous two games, scored 14 of his team-leading 18 points in the first half.

Erbentraut credited Glass for overcoming the last two contests, noting the junior guard stayed composed and collected.

“He is a guy that will be bouncing back, even after adversity,” said Erbentruat. “I am really proud of him and I thought he handled the adversity really well.”

Glass, meanwhile, said the Panthers victory came after a week of lectures by coaches in practice.

“With all of the coaches, and the practices that we had, our practices over the last week have been intense,” Glass said. “They were just getting us really focused for the game.”

Glass was not the only contributor, however, with the Panthers receiving double digit scoring performances by Jeremy Bruton, 6-2 sophomore Kevin Brenner and Josh Schattner.

Brenner, who converted 3 of 4 free throws, made five baskets to finish with 13 points.

For the 6-2 Bruton, a junior guard, he finished with 11 points, including a 3-pointer.

Schattner, a 6-3 senior forward, knocked in 10 points.

Collectively, the Panthers went 22 for 29 from the free throw line, compared the Comets 9 for 12.

“Overall, this was probably one of our best team games, almost everybody contributed,” Erbentraut said. “I thought everybody played really really well.”

Glass agreed.

“I think it was more about the team,” Glass said.

For the Comets, they received a team-leading 16 points from Jayce Crull with Brandon Edmonds chipping in 14 while Ethan Cesarz adding another 12 points.

Erbentraut, who acknowledged the Comets had tough shooters, entered the contest with a new defensive approach.

“We came in with a different game plan, we were trying to adjust to players we are guarding and what their strengths are,” he said. “And Delavan has really tough players, so we tried to capitalize on their weaknesses as much as possible.”

“I think getting them in foul trouble helped,” Erbentraut added.

The Comets committed 10 personal fouls in the second half. Wilmot had five.

Wilmot improved to 4-9 (2-6 SLC) and handed Delavan-Darien its third loss in four games.

“They played good basketball tonight, but we have to figure out what we are doing wrong,” said Comets’ coach Chris Hembrook, whose team dropped to 9-6 (4-4 SLC).


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