By Josh Staloch
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – The Jan. 14 Fox River Classic Conference matchup between Green Bay Preble and visiting Pulaski started slow but finished strong.
Preble squashed a late run by the Red Raiders to secure its fourth conference win of the season, 52-49
“We talk about mental toughness,” said Preble head coach Andy Bobholz. “We discuss how to play with a lead and how to handle coming from behind. We haven’t had a lot of opportunities this season to play in front, so tonight was a chance for us to get that experience. We’re still a young team trying to gain confidence.”
With only nine points scored between the teams in the first five minutes of play, the Hornets found themselves down 5-4 before Nic Tuscan (13 points) rifled a pass from the top of the key to Michale Schultz Jr. for an easy two points and the lead.
With Preble up 11-7, Pulaski’s Brock Egnarski hit back-to-back three-pointers.
Egnarski finished with 20 points, leading all scorers.
The Hornets, up 20-18 going into the locker room after a sluggish first half, came out of the break and pushed the tempo.
Tuscan drove to the hoop for two points before scoring under the basket on an assist from Ashton Markell on the next possession for 24-18 lead.
“We had to figure things out in the second half so it didn’t fall apart,” Tuscan said. “We did a good job of holding off their rally. A win is a win, and we’ll take it. Pulaski is a good team, well-coached and they play us tough every year.”
After Tuscan’s scoring outburst, Evan Holm drove to the hoop for two and then hit Kevin Rios-Rodriguez (15 points) underneath to put Preble up 31-23.
Nate Geydoshek drilled a three-pointer shortly after to put the Hornets up 11 and force a Pulaski timeout.
The Red Raiders then got a spark from Bo Bramschrieber, who connected from three-point range with seven minutes to play to make it 42-34.
Nash Lemerond cut the Preble lead to 42-38 on a basket down low.
With a minute to play and his team down five, Pulaski’s Jarron McKeefry (10 points) converted on a three-point play after being fouled to cut the deficit to two.
Geydoshek picked off a pass with under a minute to play, which forced the Red Raiders to foul.
“We got stingier defensively at the end of the game, and we were able to get back into it,” said Pulaski head coach Dave Shaw. “Early in the second, we gave up some easy baskets and shot it too quickly on the other end. Once we got that under control, we started playing better. We didn’t quite have enough offense to get over the hump.”