MADRID — For the first 16 minutes, Friday’s WCAC boys cage scrap between rivals Madrid and visiting Woodward-Granger was anyone’s affair, as the teams entered the intermission tied at 25-all.
The second half told the story, as the hosts used a 19-13 third quarter edge to open a 44-38 lead, then slowly added to their margin to post a 58-49 victory. The win moves Madrid to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in WCAC play while W-G fell to 5-3 and 3-3.
Neither team shot well beyond the 3-point arc, with the host Tigers hitting 4-of-14 while the Hawks made good on just 2-of-13. The hosts drained only 6-of-16 free throws and the visitors just 7-of-14, but a slight edge from elsewhere on the floor was just enough to give Madrid the win.
Bryce Achenbach and Noah Hoyt had 13 points apiece for W-G, with Pacey Moats adding eight points and Keith Braunschweig seven. Four points from both Reese Jamison and J.P. Nixon capped the Hawk scoring list.
Achenbach had eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals, with Hoyt grabbing five boards and Braunschweig four.
Landen Burke and Devin Fuson both sizzled from the floor for the Tigers, with Burke scoring 25 points on 12-of-14 shooting while Fuson added 13 points on 6-of-8 from the floor. Nine points from Eric Steig, five from Braden Gibbons, four from Landen Klatt and two from Hunter Henry finished the ledger.
Burke had 12 rebounds and Fuson 11, with Gibbons making seven assists and Klatt five steals. Three blocks from Burke and two by Fuson also highlighted the Tiger statistic sheet.
W-G will conclude the pre-holiday portion of their season by hosting Panorama for a WCAC girls/boys set Tuesday.
