BY RICH PALZEWIC
CORRESPONDENT
SUAMICO – The best medicine for a team that has lost two consecutive basketball games is to get right back out on the court. Fortunately for the Bay Port boys’ team, they were able to bounce back in a big way.
The Pirates (10-3 overall, 8-2 FRCC) put back-to-back Fox River Classic Conference losses to Pulaski and Notre Dame in the rear-view mirror with a 94-49 drubbing over Sheboygan South (1-13, 1-9) Jan. 23 at Bay Port High School.
Four Bay Port players scored in double digits, led by Jack Plumb’s 18 points (on 9-of-13 shooting) and 14 rebounds. Alec Nagel (14), Danny King (14) and Lucas LaMue (11) also posted double-digits in points, while Cordell Tinch had an impressive 13 assists.
“It was nice to see some guys step up,” said Bay Port head coach Nate Rykal. “We played hard and I loved the attitude. I’m really happy with how we responded.”
The Pirates had won 25 straight FRCC games before a one-point loss to Pulaski and a four-point defeat to Notre Dame stopped their early-season momentum, and brought the team back down to Earth a little bit.
“It was a long, long weekend for me, the other coaches and the players as well (after the two consecutive losses), Rykal said. “It was one of those things where you beat yourself up about it for a few days and you start asking yourself if you need to make changes. We might be overacting, but it comes down to having to play the right way all the time – play hard, go to the boards and play help defense. We took a huge step in practice on Monday and responded in this game.”
After two tough losses, South may have been just what the doctor ordered to give the Pirates a shot in the arm for the rest of the season.
“You play who’s next on your schedule,” Rykal added. “Sometimes you get games in the order you don’t want them – maybe this one would have been nice sandwiched in between the two last week. What we went through with the two tough losses will make us better in the long run. It gets you to pay attention more.”
The Redwings stayed relatively close early on, but a 27-6 Pirates’ run late in the first half put things away. Bay Port led just 32-23 six minutes before intermission, but surged to a 59-29 lead at the break.
King and LaMue both had a trio of three-pointers, while Tinch (2), Nagel (2) and Garrett Mooren (1) also hit from beyond the arc for the Pirates, who shot 48 percent overall from the floor (38-for-79) and hit 11 trifectas.
All 13 players suited up for Bay Port saw significant time, while 11 found the scoring column. Tinch and Mooren both chipped in with eight points, while Deland Phillips added seven.
The Pirates committed just 10 turnovers and forced South into 27 of its own in the convincing win.
Bay Port is next in action Jan. 26 when they travel to Sheboygan North in another FRCC game.
Check back soon for the full game report…
Box score
Sheboygan South: 29, 20 – 49
Bay Port: 59, 35 – 94
BP: Tinch 8, Phillips 7, Johnson 6, Nagel 14, Plumb 18, Plummer 4, King 14, Salem 2, Mooren 8, Schroeder 2, LaMue 11.
