The combination of an inside game and effective three-point shooting added up to a win for the Waupaca Comet boys’ basketball team.
The Comets defeated Denmark 69-50 in the home opener Saturday, Nov. 27, and also dropped a 58-54 decision Tuesday, Nov. 23, to Mosinee.
Waupaca 69, Denmark 50
Waupaca outscored Denmark 20-5 in the second quarter and led by as many as 23 points in the second half.
Adam Kaminske scored 15 of his game-high 23 points in the first half, while Nate Jenson and Eric Schoohs chipped in with 17 and 11, respectively.
“I’m hoping this can be a starting point for this group,” coach Ron Weber said. “The launching pad was the way we hit threes early. That got us our cushion. I thought they really felt good about themselves after the game. They’ve got to. They really played well.”
Denmark cut the Comets’ lead to 53-41 with a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter, but Waupaca put the game away with a 7-0 run that included Kaminske’s fifth three of the game.
“I took a time out purely to get the momentum back,” Weber said. “I told them about getting the ball in the post and they responded. All of a sudden, it was 19 again. They took the game in their grasp.”
Mosinee 58, Waupaca 54
The Comets trailed most of the game and outscored the Indians 25-17 in the fourth quarter, but came up short down the stretch.
Waupaca led 54-50 with less than three minutes remaining, but Mosinee scored the game’s final eight points.
Kaminske led Waupaca with 21 points, while Kevin Moe also finished in double figures with 11.
The Indians led 14-6 after the first quarter, 26-12 at halftime and 41-29 heading into the fourth quarter.
“You have to give our kids credit for coming back,” Weber said. “We probably should have won this game.”
The Comets didn’t have an answer for Mosinee’s 6-foot-9-inch Kyle Stankowski.
“That 6-9 kid made a big difference in that game,” Weber said. “That kid took everything inside away. That forced us to shoot and we didn’t shoot well on the road. I don’t think we’re as bad as we played. I think he made us look that bad.”
Weber is building the team around Kaminske.
“It’s obvious that Adam’s our best player, but we have to have other options,” he said. “We’re hoping that Nate and Eric can give us some inside stuff. We do have a few guys that can put the ball in the hole from the perimeter as well. Trevor Sweeney has a very sweet touch and we’re hoping that he can keep defenses honest. Hopefully, we’ll have a nice balance of an outside game and the two big boys inside.”
The Comets opened Eastern Valley Conference play Tuesday, Nov. 30, at defending EVC champion Little Chute and will face Winneconne and one of the state’s top scorers, Austin Ryf, Friday, Dec. 3.
“The schedule makers weren’t real kind to us, but that’s OK,” Weber said. “I just hope we keep getting better.”
Tuesday, Nov. 23 – at Mosinee
Saturday, Nov. 27 – vs. Denmark
Tuesday, Nov. 30 – at Little Chute
Friday, Dec. 3 – at Winneconne, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 9 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 13 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 18 – vs. New London, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 21 -at Berlin, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 23 – vs. Nekoosa, 6:15 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 6 – vs. Ripon, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11 – at Clintonville, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14 – vs. Freedom, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 20 – vs. Little Chute, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 22 – at Green Bay Notre Dame, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 – vs. Winneconne, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 28 – at Appleton Xavier, 7;15 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 7 – at Shawano, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 11 – vs. Berlin, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 17 – at Ripon, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – vs. Clintonville, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 25 – at Freedom, 7:15 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Tuesday, Nov. 23 – at Mosinee
Saturday, Nov. 27 – vs. Denmark
Tuesday, Nov. 30 – at Little Chute
Friday, Dec. 3 – at Winneconne, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 9 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 5:45 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 13 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 18 – vs. New London, 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 21 -at Berlin, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 23 – vs. Nekoosa, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 6 – vs. Ripon, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11 – at Clintonville, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14 – vs. Freedom, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 20 – vs. Little Chute, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 22 – at Green Bay Notre Dame, 1:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 – vs. Winneconne, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 28 – at Appleton Xavier, 5;45 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 5:45 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 7 – at Shawano, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 11 – vs. Berlin, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 17 – at Ripon, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – vs. Clintonville, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 25 – at Freedom, 5:45 p.m.
Freshman
Tuesday, Nov. 23 – at Mosinee
Saturday, Nov. 27 – vs. Denmark
Tuesday, Nov. 30 – at Little Chute
Friday, Dec. 3 – at Winneconne, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 9 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 5:45 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 13 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 18 – vs. New London, 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 21 -at Berlin, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 23 – vs. Nekoosa, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 6 – vs. Ripon, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11 – at Clintonville, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14 – vs. Freedom, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 20 – vs. Little Chute, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 22 – at Green Bay Notre Dame, 1:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 – vs. Winneconne, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 28 – at Appleton Xavier, 5;45 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 3 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 11 – vs. Berlin, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 17 – at Ripon, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – vs. Clintonville, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 25 – at Freedom, 5:45 p.m.