A Central Wisconsin 8 Conference championship won’t happen this season for the Weyauwega-Fremont and Iola-Scandinavia boys’ basketball teams.
However, that didn’t stop both teams from putting up some big numbers Feb. 8 in their second matchup of the season at Weyauwega.
Bryce Behn scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Indians to a 78-69 win over the Thunderbirds, despite 25 points from the T-Birds’ Connor Lodewegen.
W-F also fell to Stevens Point Pacelli Feb. 5, while I-S picked up a win over Manawa.
W-F 78, I-S 69
WEYAUWEGA – Behn’s best night of the season included 17 points in the third quarter alone, as the Indians added to their 35-27 halftime lead.
W-F outscored the visitors 18-12 in the first quarter and had a 17-15 advantage over the next eight minutes to take an eight-point lead at the break.
The Indians outscored the T-Birds 21-18 in the third quarter, but I-S came back with a 24-22 advantage in the fourth.
Behn and Lodewegen were two of seven players that finished in double figures, as the teams combined to hit 16 three-pointers.
Trevor Fitzpatrick added 21 for W-F, while Tanner Ross and Aaron Schroeder chipped in with 12 each. Kristian Welch finished with 15 for the T-Birds, while teammate Braiden Garbe added 11.
Pacelli 69, W-F 47
STEVENS POINT – The host Cardinals outscored the Indians 20-8 in the first quarter and 22-11 over the final eight minutes.
Behn and Ross led the Indians with 17 and 13 points, respectively, while Isaac Elliott led all scorers with 29.
I-S 59, Manawa 42
IOLA – Garbe and Welch scored 12 points each to lift the T-Birds over the Wolves.
The T-Birds led 15-8 after one quarter, 35-16 at halftime and 44-27 after three quarters.
Alec Lund and Isaac Lashua added eight points each for I-S, while Wesley Krause, Alex Murphy and Brandon Bartel led Manawa with seven each.
The T-Birds will wrap up the regular season at 7:30 tonight (Thursday, Feb. 14) by hosting Bonduel, while the Indians headed to Mosinee Feb. 12 for a rescheduled game with Wisconsin Valley Lutheran. W-F will close out the regular season at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at Shiocton.
Both teams will also host a game in the opening round of the state tournament. W-F is seeded eighth in its Division 4 sectional and will host No. 9 Menasha St. Mary Central, while the T-Birds are seeded fourth in the same bracket and will host No. 5 Rosholt. Tipoff for both games is slated for 7 p.m.