The Springlake-Earth Wolverines’ varsity basketball team defeated Wellman-Union, 55-38, on Thursday in their opener at the Way Out West Tournament in Whiteface.
With the win, they improved to 1-0 in tournament play on the weekend.
Tyler Tanaro knocked down a short fade-away from the right elbow off of the assist from Froylan Agundiz to open the contest and on their next possession, Tanaro was fouled on an attempt by Keagon Dominguez. Tanaro converted both shots at the line to put the Wolverines in front, 4-0.
Timothy Tovar picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for an easy lay-up to stretch their lead to, 6-0, but on the next play, Clayton Cochran was fouled on an attempt by Tanaro and converted both shots from the free-throw line to get the Wildcats on the board. With 6:20 left to play in the opening quarter, Tovar passed the ball down low to Tanaro, who dropped in a lay-up, pushing the lead to, 82, as Wellman-Union took a time out to talk things over.
Out of the break, Cochran scored on a second-chance layup, but on the other end, Kaylob Frietze was fouled on an attempt by Cochran, earning a trip to the line. He sank both free throws, extending the Wolverine lead to, 104, with under five minutes remaining in the quarter. Kyler Neill answered with a three from the left elbow for the Wildcats, but with 3: 45 to play in the quarter, Sebastian Sanchez was fouled on an attempt by Dominguez, his second. Sanchez made one-of-two shots from the line, making the score, 11-7.
Cochran took a charge on Tovar, but the Wolverines would regain possession, Tovar hit Frietze down low for a lay-up, stretching their lead to, 13-7, with 2:56 to play in the quarter. The Wolverines would close out the first quarter strong, as Agundiz dropped in a lay-up in transition and Frietze scored on a put-back off of a miss by Agundiz, pushing the lead to, 17-7.
Frietze took a charge on Elijah Depoyster and with time winding down in the quarter, Luis Fuentes knocked down a leaner from the left side to make the score, 19-7, as the first quarter came to a close.
With 4:30 remaining in the first half, Edgar Macias was fouled on an attempt by Abel Quirino and made one-of-two shots from the line to trim the lead to, 19-8. Dominguez followed it up with a lay- up for the Wildcats, as Springlake-Earth took a time out with their lead cut to single-digits, 19-10.
Out of the break, Tanaro knocked down a jumper from the left elbow off of the assist from Tovar, but Wellman-Union answered, as AJ Mercado dropped in a lay-up off of the assist from Elijah Depoyster, making the score, 21-12, with 3:37 left to play in the half. Frietze was fouled on an attempt by Mercado and split the free throws, but on the other end, Elijah Depoyster dropped in a layup, drawing an and-one foul on Agundiz. He converted the free throw to cut the lead to eight points, 22-14, with 3:14 remaining in the first half.
Quirino dropped in a floater in the lane and Agundiz followed it up with a three from the top of the key off of the assist from Frietze, making the score, 27-14. Elijah Depoyster dropped in a lay-up in the lane, but the Wolverines responded, as Tovar dropped in a lay-up, drawing an and-one foul on Macias. He converted the free throw to push the lead to, 30-16. However, with time winding down in the half, Neill dropped in a layup to make the score, 30-18, going into the locker room at halftime.
Tanaro dropped in a lay-up to open the third quarter off of the assist from Tovar and with just over five minutes left to play in the quarter, Agundiz picked up a steal and took it to the hoop for a fast-break lay-up, stretching the lead to, 34-18. Macias dropped in a lay-up from the left side to get the Wildcats on the board in the second half, and on their next possession, Depoyster was fouled on an attempt by Dominguez with 4:23 to play in the quarter. He split the attempts, trimming the lead to, 3421.
Dominguez dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Levi Depoyster under the basket, but on the other end, Agundiz was fouled on an attempt by Cochran, his third. Agundiz sank both free throws to push the lead to, 36-23, and on their next possession, Tanaro was fouled on a put-back attempt by Dominguez, his third. Tanaro converted both shots at the line and followed it up with a short jumper from the right side off of the assist from Agundiz, making the score, 40-23, with 2:39 remaining in the quarter.
Levi Depoyster bounced a pass through traffic to Dominguez for a lay-up, but Tanaro answered with a jumper from the right elbow to stretch the lead to, 42-25. With 1:38 to play in the third, Dominguez was fouled on a defensive rebound by Tanaro, his third, earning a trip to the line. He converted both free throws, trimming the lead to, 4227.
Tanaro knocked down a jumper from the free-throw line off of the assist from Tovar, but the Wildcats closed out the quarter with a lay- up in transition by Levi Depoyster, making the score, 4429, going into the final quarter of play.
Tovar opened the final frame with a jumper from the right wing off of the assist from Agundiz and Quirino followed it up with a putback off of a miss by Frietze, extending the lead to, 48-29. With 5:32 left to play in the game, Macias knocked down a jumper from the top of the key, but Tovar answered on the other end, with a put-back off of a miss by Agundiz to make the score, 50-31.
Levi Depoyster knocked down a three from the right elbow for the Wildcats, but on the other end, Quirino was fouled on an attempt by Cochran, his fourth. Quirino would split the free throws, pushing the lead to, 51-34. Macias knocked down a jumper from the top of the key, but Frietze answered with a lay- up, as Springlake-Earth took a time out, leading, 53-36.
Out of the break, Elijah Depoyster scored a fast-break lay-up off of a steal, but Fuentes closed out the game with a runner from the left side, as the Wolverines took their tournament-opener, 55-38.
Tanaro led the team in scoring with 20 points, while Tovar and Agundiz each tallied nine points and Frietze chipped in seven points. Quirino tallied five points, while Fuentes contributed four points and Sanchez finished with one point in the contest.