The Waupaca boys’ basketball team came up short against a pair of Bay Conference squads at the Shawano Sun Drop Shootout.
The Comets fell to New London 49-29 Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Kress Events Center at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and also dropped a 46-31 decision the day before to Shawano.
New London 49, Waupaca 29
Seven three-pointers helped the Bulldogs take a 27-14 halftime lead.
New London held the Comets to without a field goal in the first quarter and took an 11-2 lead into the second break. Waupaca cut the lead to 11-5 with its first basket, Trevor Sweeney’s three-pointer a minute into the second quarter, but spent most of the quarter and the entire second half down by at least 10 points.
New London opened the second half with a 12-2 run that included three threes and Tyler Wenzel’s three-point play to take a 39-16 lead. Waupaca responded with a 6-0 run at the end of the third quarter to cut the lead to 41-22, but never got any closer.
New London’s Chris Steingraber was the only player in the game to finish in double figures, as he scored 10 points. Jordan Christensen led Waupaca with eight points, while Wenzel and Ryan Ferge chipped in with eight each for New London.
Shawano 46, Waupaca 31
Shawano, which hosted the tournament at the home arena of UW-Green Bay’s women’s basketball team, outscored Waupaca 15-6 in the second quarter and 15-4 in the fourth to get the win.
Waupaca took a 9-6 lead into the second quarter, but an 11-2 run helped the Hawks take the lead for good. The Hawks led 21-15 at halftime and 31-27 after three quarters.
Shawano scored the first six points of the fourth quarter and Waupaca never got any closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Eric Schoohs led Waupaca with 12 points, including eight in the second half. Zach Sousek and Andy Timm scored 10 each to lead Shawano.
The Comets will return to Eastern Valley Conference play at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, at Ripon. Waupaca will then host Clintonville Tuesday, Jan. 10.