Warriors win early season tournament
Peabody-Burns High School boys' basketball squad won the early season tournament Dec. 11 on their home court.
In round one, they defeated Norwich, 78-53. In the second round, the squad defeated Goessel 63-45, before defeating Oxford, 57-40, in the finals for the Great Eight Classic championship. The win improved the Warriors' record, 4-0.
Norwich
Meeting Norwich in the opening round on their home court, the PBHS Warriors trailed once early and then claimed the lead for the remainder of the contest.
Newcomer Nathan Hittle put the first two on the board. Six Warriors put up points in the first, paced by Bryan Swenson with seven. Brandon Crabtree and Isaac Good added six each. Brian Baker put up two. Derrick Simmonds and Hittle each added a free throw. The score at the end of one favored the Warriors, 25-16.
Warrior offense continued to roll with a 20-point quarter in the second. Good had eight. Crabtree added six. Simmonds put in four and Baker added a basket to put the Warriors up 45-35 at the half.
In the second half, the Warriors remained in control and took the first round victory, 78-53. Crabtree led the half with eight. Hittle and Good had six each. Carroll had five. Trevor Hamm put in four. Swenson had three. Michah Hilliard contributed a free throw.
PBHS totals
Crabtree 20, Good 20, Swenson 10, Hittle 9, Simmonds 5, Carroll 5, Baker 4, Hamm 4, Hilliard 1.
Goessel
The Warriors continued play in the second round defeating the Goessel Bluebirds, 63-45, Dec. 10 in Norwich to advance to the championship game.
Chris Bengtsson hit the Warriors' opening two baskets and Derek Simmonds added two free throws and a layup off his own steal for an 8-4 lead. Simmonds continued scoring with a three-pointer and Bryan Swenson and Jason Carrol each added baskets to end the first quarter with the Warriors ahead, 17-12.
The Warriors opened the second quarter trading baskets with the Bluebirds, but began to pull away midway through. The quarter ended with three quick baskets: one off an offensive rebound by Benson and layups from Simmonds and one from Good. The Warriors entered the half with a 33-19 lead.
The Bluebirds played the Warriors close in the third period with 11 of the Warriors 13 points coming from Good. Carroll added the other two points. But the Warriors came right back to start the fourth with a 12-6 run extending their lead to 18 points.
Fourth quarter was balanced with eight players taking part in the 17 points for a final score of Peabody-Burns 63, Goessel 45.
Oxford
The Warriors opened the contest on a 10-2 run on baskets by Good, Benson, Hittle, and two by Bengtsson. They finished the quarter with back-to-back three-pointers from Hittle and Benson to lead the Wildcats, 20-9.
The Warriors were outscored 7-6 in the second quarter with their only basket being made by Crabtree. Crabtree and Simmonds each added two free throws. The Warrior lead at the half was 10, 26-16.
The third quarter started slow offensively for both teams. The Wildcats cut the lead to six points before the Warriors went on an 11-0 run to lead by 17 points. Hittle started the run with a two-point basket followed by three quick layups by Crabtree on an assist from Crabtree.
Hittle added one of two free throws to stretch the Warrior lead to 40-23. The third quarter ended with Warriors ahead, 42-26. Both teams traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter and the Warrior lead was never challenged.
Jova Nedeljkovic scored six points, Benson, Hamm, Cody Weerts, and Hittle each added two points, and Aaron Burnett added one free throw for the final score of 57-40.
