Speed over power: Packers glide past physical Winhawks to stay unbeaten
Published 10:34 pm Friday, December 6, 2019
- Austin’s Pierre Lilly drives past Winona’s Parker Jones in Packer Gym Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Austin boys basketball team is a good squad and Agwa Nywesh is pouring on the points, but the Packers can be a great team when Nywesh is scoring and distributing.
Nywesh came excelled in both of those areas as he paced the Packers to a 73-59 win over Winona in Packer Gym Friday.
Austin (2-0 overall, 2-0 Big Nine) never trailed and Nywesh finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals — one week after he struggled with turning the ball over and forcing shots.
“I watched a lot of film from the first game and I was trying to do too much,” Nywesh said. “I’m a senior and a captain now and I have to move the ball more. Tonight I wanted to keep the ball moving to help the team out.”
Austin’s Agwa Nywesh attacks the hoop agaisnt the Winhawks in Packer Gym Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Winhawks presented a big front line and a they featured a lot of athletes from their state qualifying football team, but the Packers were able to fight to a strong finish. After the Winhawks (0-1 overall, 0-1 Big Nine) pulled to within 56-47 on a post move by Ethan Prodzinski, the Packers answered with five points in just 20 seconds as Teyghan Hovland and Pierre Lilly each scored off turnovers to make it 61-47 with 5:50 left in the game.
“I feel like we were the quicker team and they were the bigger team,” Nywesh said. “When we did switches, we had their big guys on our guards and that opened up a lot of space for us. This was a statement win for us and we’re only going to get better from here. The sky is the limit.”
Teyghan Hovland and Ogur Gari each finished with 15 points for Austin and Lilly added 12 points and four steals.
“It was a physical game. You’ve got to learn to play through it,” Austin head coach Kris Fadness said. “I was happy with Agwa’s play and he was much better tonight. Pierre was better tonight and Teyghan and Ogur were good, but we’re still a work in practice. The turnover issue is a problem that we have to get rectified.”
Austin’s Tony Ciola pull sup for a jump shot against Winona in Packer Gym Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Winona 20 39 — 59
Austin 35 38 — 73
Austin scoring: Agwa Nywesh, 19; Ogur Gari, 15; Teyghan Hovland, 15; Pierre Lilly, 12; Tony Ciola, 4; Ethan Owens, 4; Okey Okey, 3; Victor Idris, 1; free throws: 79 percent (19-for-24); turnovers: 20
