Blackwell scores 63 points in two games
By Greg Seubert
Tony Blackwell is putting up some big numbers for the Waupaca boys’ basketball team this season.
He scored 29 points Jan. 9 at Marinette and 34 points two days earlier against Fox Valley Lutheran, but the Comets ended up dropping both North Eastern Conference games. Marinette handed Waupaca a 61-48 loss, while the Foxes picked up a 73-56 win.
Marinette 61, Waupaca 48
MARINETTE – The Marines opened the game by hitting 11 of their first 14 shots, including all five three-point attempts, to take a 26-5 lead midway through the first half.
Meanwhile, the Comets missed 13 of their first 15 shots in the game.
“You get in a hole like that and you’re busting yourself to get out of it,” coach Ron Weber said. “We did make it a game, but you have to some things go your way and we didn’t unfortunately.”
Marinette led 33-18 at halftime and pushed the lead to 22 points early in the second half with a 7-0 run. The Comets eventually cut the lead to 53-44 with 5:30 remaining on Stephen Johnson’s three-pointer, but never got any closer.
“I do like how the guys battled back,” Weber said. “It was nice to get Joe Blackwell back into the mix, getting some action from him. I think the two sophomores we brought up from the JV team in a pinch, David Johnson and Cole Glass, we learned some things about them as well.
“We had to battle those two big kids and I told our guys, ‘We have to figure out how to play big,’” he said. “That’s just how it is. I thought we guarded the post good, but their outside shooting was outstanding.”
The Marines hit 24 of 44 shots, while the Comets finished 16 of 57.
“It was a tough combination to overcome, but our guys battled,” Weber said. “We’re learning a lot about ourselves and I think the kids are coming around.”
FVL 73, Waupaca 56
APPLETON – The Foxes led 35-19 at halftime.
Blackwell led all scorers with 34 points, but no other Waupaca player had more than seven.
Jared Laabs led FVL with 18 points.
Waupaca will host Freedom Friday, Jan. 15, and Wrightstown Tuesday, Jan. 19. Tipoff for both games is set for 7:15 p.m.