WOODWARD — There is little love lost whenever Woodward-Granger and the Woodward Academy meet, regardless of the sport.
When the two rivals tangle in basketball, the result is often a close game, one played with considerable emotion and multiple runs on the scoreboard from each team. The Academy uses the W-G Middle School gym for their home court, but Tuesday’s joust was held in the varsity gym as the Hawks were the host.
It will therefore be recorded that it was in the Hawk’s Nest that the Knights saw a 15-point halftime lead dissolve under a furious Hawk rally, leading to a 66-61 win for W-G in the first of their two WCAC meetings this season.
The Academy opened a 17-10 lead after one quarter, but then posted a 21-13 bulge in the second frame to seize a 38-23 advantage at the intermission.
Whatever W-G head coach Brent Achenbach told his team in the locker room clearly struck the right chord, as the Hawks suddenly exploded for a 20-6 third quarter rally to close to withing 44-43.
The hosts completed the rally by outscoring the Knights, 23-17, down the stretch to claim the victory. The win lifts W-G to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in WCAC play while the Academy falls to 1-2, 1-2.
W-G shot well in the win, sinking 23-of-51 from the floor and 18-of-23 at the foul line. Offensive numbers from the Knights were not immediately available.
Keith Braunschweig followed a 20-point effort Monday against Saydel with a second 20-point outburst to lead W-G. Bryce Achenbach provided 12 points, Reese Jamison 11 and Kaya Bowlsby 10, with five points from Pacey Moats and four each from J.P. Nixon and Noah Hoyt capping the scoring.
Braunschweig had four rebounds and blocked two shots, with Achenbach making five assists and posting three steals. Bowlsby aided the winning effort with seven rebounds and four thefts, with Nixon making three steals.
W-G returns to action Friday with a visit to Van Meter before returning home Tuesday to host Ogden.
