Packers get past Wingers with second half surge
Published 11:34 pm Tuesday, February 7, 2017
- Ausitn’s Pat Hagan leans in towards the hoop in the first half against Red Wing Tuesday night. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Austin boys basketball team rolled to its ninth straight win when it topped Red Wing 75-53 in Packer Gym Tuesday, but the Packers are still looking to take the intensity to another level.
Austin (18-1 overall, 14-1 Big Nine) led just 34-32 before Tate Hebrink hit a three-pointer right before the half and the Packers used an 11-2 run early in the second half to put the game out of reach. With just seven games remaining on the schedule, Austin head coach Kris Fadness would like to see his team start faster.
Austin’s Oman Oman posts up strong during the first half against Red Wing Tuesday. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“I just want to see us put a complete game together, and right now I don’t think we’re close to it,” Fadness said. “You come out and you’re not playing fast enough defensively. At the same time we credit Red Wing for hitting shots, but the first half was extremely frustrating and I thought offensively we got way to dependent on the three point shot. We’ve just got to go inside more often.”
After hitting some early threes, the Wingers (4-15 overall, 3-12 Big Nine) cooled off from the outside in the second half and they committed 20 turnovers. Austin was able to put the game away in the second half by getting stops and getting run-outs.
“We had to talk more and get out on shooters. They shot pretty well in the first half,” Austin junior Tate Hebrink said.
Austin’s Tyler Tupy steps up on Red Wing’s Seth Yeatman during the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin senior Oman Oman had 12 points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds. He said the seniors are starting to see the finish line, but they have to stay focused on a nightly basis.
“We’re kind of looking forward to sections and we’re hoping to go far if we can stay healthy,” he said. ”We’ve just got to take it game by game and try to get better.”
The Packers have played nine games in the last 17 days and Fadness is looking forward to getting two straight days of practice in before Austin plays at Rochester Century 7:30 p.m. Friday.
“We’ve got a lot to clean up. We need practice,” he said. “We’ve got some issues that we’ve got to take care of. This time of year is always a little bit of a challenge, but we’re getting close to that time where we want to be raising our level.”
Austin’s Moses Issa works in traffic against Red Wing in the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
RW 32 21 — 53
Austin 37 38 — 75
Austin scoring: Both Gach, 21; Oman Oman, 12; Tate Hebrink, 10; Duoth Gach, 7; Kyle Oberbroeckling, 6; Pat Hagan, 5; Moses Issa, 4; Logan Braaten, 2; Jany Gash, 2; Trent Brown, 2; Jesse Synoground, 2; LaHenry Gills, 2; free throws: 62 percent (13-for-21); rebounds: 17 (Oberbroeckling, 5); turnovers: 10
Austin’s Tate Hebrink gets an off-balanced layup against Red Wing in the first half Tuesday night in Packer Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
