BOYS BASKETBALL: Panthers perimeter game edges Elkhorn

Wilmot’s Latrell Glass finishes a drive toward the hoop with a layup against Elkhorn Jan. 12, when the Panthers edged the Elks 79-68 (Earlene Frederick/The Report).

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Against a disciplined Elkhorn Area High School boys basketball squad, host Wilmot Union High School needed one half to find its potent perimeter game in a Southern Lakes Conference tilt Jan. 12.

The Panthers, who trailed 33-32 entering halftime, found their flow in the second half where they outscored the Elks 47-35 to come away with a 79-68 SLC victory.

Wilmot, which improved to 7-4 overall and 3-3 in the SLC following the win, knocked in 39 of its points from the arc.

According to Elkhorn coach Josh Skatrud, he believed his team had opportunities to maintain and extend its lead in the first half, but struggled to find the Panthers potent perimeter threats.

“I thought we had a chance in the first half to build up the lead, and we lost a couple of their shooters, and we talked about it halftime about finding them,” said Skatrud, whose team dropped to 7-4 overall and 4-2 in the SLC. “We just couldn’t do it.”

The two sharpshooters, seniors Latrell Glass and Jeremy Bruton, combined to score 41 points, with 24 coming in the second half.

Panthers’ coach Jake Erbentraut said Glass and Bruton were crucial in the second half rally.

“Those guys are catalysts, when we are doing well, it is usually because of them creating things and setting things up for teammates,” he said.

Duo dominates second half
Bruton, who scored nine of his 17 points in the first half, said the team went into halftime with a mission to match Elkhorn’s intensity.

“They are really gritty, they are very disciplined, they work extremely hard and we matched that intensity in the second half and we really came out showing toughness,” said Bruton, who delivered the a game-tying 3-pointer with 15:25 left in regulation.

Glass, who scored a game-high 24 points, followed up with one of his own to give Wilmot a 38-35 lead.
After a 4-0 run by Elkhorn, courtesy of a bucket and two free throws by Chance Larson, the Panthers answered with an 8-0 run.

Senior Kyle Gendron, who had a game-high 15 rebounds, sparked the 8-0 stretch with a 3-pointer.
Bruton then hit a mid-range jumper followed by another shot from the arc to extend the Panthers’ lead to 48-39.

From there, the Panthers were able to maintain their lead, despite efforts from Elkhorn’s Luke and Vince Umnus.

Luke Umnus, who knocked in 17 points, scored eight in the second half.

Vince Umnus, meanwhile, had 17 to tie Luke for the team lead.

“They had those slashers, the guards and we had to try and contain them, especially (Luke) and (Vince) and I thought we did a decent job of defending them,” Erbentraut said.

Zack Watson and Kevin Brenner contributed 10 points each for the Panthers.

Wilmot has won four of its last five games, dating back to a 76-57 victory against Kenosha St. Joseph on Dec. 29.

Nearing last year’s mark
Compared to last year, when the Panthers held a 3-8 record after 11 games, they are on pace to eclipse the mark in 2017-18.

With a 7-4 record, the Panthers are one win shy of matching their 2016-17 campaign where they finished with an 8-17 record.


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