Williams named Player of the Game with 23 points
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Using patience and a slower pace, Westosha Central High School’s boys basketball squad defeated Shoreland Lutheran 57-39 in Saturday’s All-Star Honda Holiday Classic showdown played at Carthage College.
With exception to a game-opening basket by Shoreland Lutheran’s Collin Doerflinger, the Falcons had the lead for the rest of the game.
The Falcons, who entered halftime with a 20-15, bolstered its lead with several scoring spurts in the second half to come out ahead.
The Falcons improved to 5-2 with the nonconference win against the Pacers, who dropped to 2-5.
“It was about be patient, we talked about it at halftime,” Falcons’ coach James Hyllberg said. “It was about slowing down and finding the open man.”
Falcons’ 5-foot-11 junior guard Tre Williams was open more often than any other shooter, scoring a game-high 23 points, 14 in the second half.
Williams has scored 20 or more points in five consecutive games, with the first in a 67-53 Falcons’ win against Burlington Catholic Central on Dec. 8.
Hyllberg attributes Williams’ string of success to the Falcons’ offensive arsenal consisting of seniors Ron Hall, who scored 15 Saturday, and Jordan Easthon.
“Because we have so many weapons, they are not going to guard all three of our guys,” Hyllberg said. “Williams has an outside shot that goes really well and is able to get on the inside.”
In the second half, with the Falcons ahead 22-19, Williams hit his second of four 3-pointers in a 7-0 run, before Shoreland Lutheran put a stop on a free throw by Jakob Thut, who scored eight points for the Pacers.
After the Falcons and Pacers traded field goals, the Falcons produced another 4-0 spurt, with Williams and Hall pitching in with a basket each to bolster the Westosha Central lead to 35-22.
Shoreland Lutheran coach Paul Strutz said the Pacers were overwhelmed by Williams’ 3-pointers and a Falcons’ offense that solved his team’s defensive scheme.
“We went to the 1-3-1, tried to mix up our defense to confuse them,” Strutz said. “It bothered them a little bit at first, but they were able to make adjustments, and Tre was able to get 3s when they needed it.”
Williams, who added four rebounds and four steals, cited ball distribution and a better vision for the Falcons’ stellar second half.
“We kept pushing the ball, and making fast breaks, and made better decisions with the ball,” Williams said.
Easthon and Hall were two that capitalized on penetrating the inside, with Easthon contributing all eight of his points in the second half, and Hall scoring 11 of his 15 points.
Defensively, Easthon snagged a team-leading six rebounds and Hall snagged five boards.
Falcons’ James Manring, a 6-foot-3 senior, controlled the paint with five rebounds and made all three of his shots in traffic, including a 3-point play in the first half.
“He knows his role, he likes to do it,” said Hyllberg, noting Manring’s rebounding and scoring ability. “He plays great defense”
Sophomore Jayke Giese scored 13 points to lead Shoreland Lutheran.