Kelly O’Day
Sports Editor
After a six-game run to start the season, the Tomahawk boys basketball team ran into a pair of tough teams in last week’s Marathon Christmas Tournament and took its first two losses of the season.
“We can learn from these two games and they will help us as we head into the heart of our Great Northern Conference schedule,” THS coach Tim Albert noted.
Thorp prevailed 63-53 after grabbing a late lead and hitting critical free throws down the stretch.
”I thought we did some good things offensively, we just struggled from behind the three point line,” Albert said. “When we are shooting the ball well, it really helps to stretch the floor. However, for the second straight game, we couldn’t hit those shots.
“Our defensive effort wasn’t good enough to win. We gave them too many uncontested threes, which they hit. Also, we were forced to press and they got a couple easy baskets because we were really gambling late.”
THS counted on production from Justin Jarvensivu (28 points), Isaac Weber (8), Brandon Vecchio (7), Jackson List (6) and Easton Phalin (4).
Thorp: 33 – 30 – 63.
Tom: 24 – 29 – 53.
Marathon sprint
Tomahawk hung within 30-26 of the 10th-ranked Red Raiders (D4) in the first half of Tuesday’s game, but Marathon cruised to a 71-42 triumph in the second.
“Marathon has a very good team, and we hung around in the first half with good offensive execution and a pretty solid defensive effort,” Albert said. “In the second half, we forced too many passes and their length really gave us problems. Our turnovers unfortunately led to easy baskets on their end, and when we did execute well, we couldn’t get anything to fall.”
The Hatchets were paced by Jarvensivu (16 points), B. Vecchio (13), Phalin (5) and List (5),
Tom: 26 – 16 – 42.
Mara: 30 – 41 – 71.