Bluejays topple Threshers
Bluejays topple Threshers
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Most coaches would be satisfied defeating a neighboring nemesis like the Bethel Threshers. Don't count Don Brubacher amongst them.
Even with a 76-61 win, the Bluejay coach still wasn't all smiles with the victory.
Sure, the Bluejays are still on top of the KCAC at 10-2 on the year and 10-12 overall, but they looked like they forgot to set their alarm clocks Saturday night against the visiting Threshers.
Tabor stumbled out of the gates early, surrendering an 8-0 run to Bethel in the game's first 4:00.
"We got into trouble because we weren't guarding very well and gave up some open looks," Brubacher said of Tabor's slow start. "Then on the offensive end, we had absolutely no movement whatsoever.
Jared Reese finally scored the Bluejays' first field goal, 5:03 into the game and Tabor fought an uphill battle for 16:59 in the first half.
The Threshers' Jayson Artaz lit the Bluejays up for a game-high 24, canning 5-of-8 from behind the arc with two coming in the first half.
Even the high percentage shots like lay-ups were hard to come by for Tabor.
Shooting a surprising 47 percent the first half and 53 percent in the game, Tabor got within a point of the Threshers four times.
"They (Bethel) were playing really hard and we were not really giving them anything to challenge them," said Brubacher. "We finally got a little bit of movement and we got some offense, but we still struggled."
Anthony Monson fueled a balanced scoring attack for the Bluejays with 11 points, finally knotting the game up at 28 with 3:21 left in the first half.
Cody Schafer knocked down a three-pointer 20 seconds later, and the Bluejays had their first lead, 31-28.
Could they maintain the lead though, and for how long?
The remainder of the game was the answer, but it was anything but safe until about the final 5:00 when Tabor perked up.
Schafer's triple sparked a 7-3 run to close the first half and Tabor was up by half, 38-31, allowing Bethel to get to the free throw line twice.
Tabor started the second 20:00 like the first, unable to pull away from the Threshers.
Tyson Ratzlaff sank a pair of free-throws nearly 2:00 into the second frame to stretch the lead to 40-33. Ratzlaff finished with nine points, dishing out a game-high eight assists
The lead would shrivel to three twice behind the three-point marksmanship of Artaz and infamous Hillsboro-assassin, Tony Hoops.
The Bluejays used small four- and six-point runs to put a double-digit distance between the Threshers with a basket from Jeremiah Randall, who pitched in 10 points and seven rebounds.
Despite getting out-rebounded the second half, Tabor still won the battle, 35-30, paced by eight from Brad Gattis.
Schafer nailed the Thresher coffin shut with :47 left, making it a five-possession game with a free-throw.
Colby Bettles added 10 points, hitting 3-of-4 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line.
On deck for the Bluejays is a stiff pair of road tests starting tonight at Sterling and ending Saturday in McPherson.
Tonight's game is slated for 8 p.m. with Saturday's starting an hour earlier.
Bethany
Four-fifths of the Bluejays' starting line-up finished in double figures Thursday night in Hillsboro in an 82-67 win over NAIA runner-up Bethany.
As usual, it was not a cake-walk for the Bluejays.
After pulling in front, 22-10, after a basket from Colby Bettles, who finished with 11, Tabor eventually gave up a 12-0 run to the Swedes and fell behind, 26-24 with just over 8:00 to go in the first half.
To finish with a team-high 14 points and eight rebounds, Gattis ignited a 5-0 surge Tabor used to take control of the game.
Tabor hit a hot 53 percent from the floor the first half to take a 46-41 half-time lead, and finished with 51 percent on the night and 6-of-12 behind the arc.
Tyson Ratzlaff added 13 points with a game-high five assists, while Jeremiah Randall and Monson scored 10 points a piece.
