Staff writer
The Peabody-Burns boys’ basketball team lost 62-49 in its homecoming game against Wakefield largely because of points the Bombers scored from the 3-point line.
“There is no denying that they were a good team, and we played well overall. There were just a couple of tough situations we ran into,” coach Caleb Good said. “Wakefield jumped on us early in the first quarter. They also had a good shooter who hit five of six 3-pointers he shot during the game.”
In the first quarter, the Warriors made 10 points to the Bombers 24 points. Peabody-Burns outscored Wakefield 12-5 in the second quarter, bringing the score to 29-22 at halftime.
The Warriors and the Bombers each scored 20 points in the third quarter, but Wakefield made 13 points to Peabody-Burns 7 points in the fourth to win the game.
“We had two huge surges in the second half,” Good said. “We shot well, made some transition buckets, and our 1-2-2 press and defense worked well, but it seemed like every time we got within 1 or 2 points they’d make a 3-pointer that would stop our momentum.”
The Warriors had 9 assists and 9 turnovers for the game.
Braxton Kyle led Warriors scoring with 16 points. Kornelius Skotaam made 11 points, and Vince Newman had 7 points.
“The guys really showed a lot of heart — they fought the whole way,” Good said.
Goessel
In a game that came down to the buzzer, the Warriors lost 59-57 to the Bluebirds, missing a 3-pouint attempt that fell short Tuesday in Goessel.
The Warriors led several times in the first half, but the Bluebirds had the lead at half-time 32-27.
Kyle scored 9 points in the third period to keep the Warriors alive. Peabody-Burns reached within two in the fourth quarter, but let the Bluebirds slipped out to a 58-50 lead.
Strategy to send the Bluebirds to the free-throw line nearly worked as Goessel missed 5 of 6 free-throws.
Skotaam hit a three pointer with 5 seconds remaining, cutting a 5-point lead to 59-57.
The Bluebirds had their senior guard at the free-throw line for two shots and both were missed. Peabody got the ball into the forecourt, but the three-pointer that would have won the game bounced off the rim and Goessel hung on to win.