Contributing writer
The Goessel High School Bluebirds boys’ basketball team went 1-2 in the Burrton Tournament with a first-round loss to Burrton, a second-round victory over Central Christian, and a third-round loss to Inman.
Even in the losses, the Bluebirds were competitive on their way to a sixth-place finish.
Burrton 51, Goessel 43
Goessel entered the Burrton tournament as the fifth seed and played from behind for nearly the whole game Jan. 16. Burrton led 14-7 at the end of one quarter, but the Bluebirds outscored the host team 16-11 to cut the deficit to 25-23 at the half.
Goessel managed to stay close in the third period as the quarter ended with Burrton ahead, 35-34. Burrton gradually built a lead at the end of the game to win, 51-43.
Braden Unruh ended the night with 13 points, and Davis Cook added 11. Nic Buller and Trey Schmidt each added eight points, and Shane Goerzen knocked in a three pointer.
Goessel 42,
Central Christian 40
The Bluebirds survived a scare from the Cougars on Thursday. Goessel never trailed in the game, leading 10-7 at the end of one quarter and maintaining a 20-18 lead at halftime.
As Central Christian freshman Kyle Patrick continued scoring from long distance on his way to 29 points, the Bluebirds increased their lead at the end of the third quarter to 38-31. The rebounding of the Bluebirds added to the success of the offense as Goessel won the contest, 42-40, despite Central Christian attempting a game-ending 3-pointer that missed the mark.
Unruh ended with a double-double, scoring 12 to go along with 12 rebounds. Cook also recorded a double-double, scoring 10 points to match 10 rebounds. Buller added 7 points, Peter Voth dropped in 6 points, Schmidt scored 5 and Drake Sterk added 2 points.
Inman 55, Goessel 37
Saturday’s match-up pitted Goessel against Inman. The lead changed hands seven times in the first quarter, but Inman pulled ahead, buoyed by below-average shooting from the field for the Bluebirds. Late game free throws by the Teutons gave the game the mistaken appearance of an easy win.
Unruh scored the first 4 points for the Bluebirds and Schmidt scored 7 points in a row to pull ahead, 13-11, in the first quarter. Inman hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to take a 14-13 lead at the end of one quarter. Inman jumped out to a 22-15 lead in the second quarter, but points by Unruh, Goerzen, and Schmidt got the Bluebirds within 2 points at halftime, 24-22.
Goessel had to work for every point in the second half. When Inman extended their lead to 28-22, the Bluebirds scratched their way back into the game to get as close as 30-27. From that point, the Teutons outrebounded and outscored the Bluebirds, especially from the free throw line. Inman led at the end of three quarters, 38-31, and won by a final score of 55-37.
Only four players scored for the Bluebirds on Saturday as Unruh finished with 15; Schmidt, 10, Cook, 7; and Goerzen, 5.
Goessel boys now sport a 7-6 record and have this week off.