Berlin holds on to top Waupaca boys

In some ways, the season opener for the Waupaca boys’ basketball team on Dec. 2 was like “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” the 1960s western movie starring Clint Eastwood.

The good? The Comets overcame an early 11-0 deficit against Berlin.

The bad? Waupaca had opportunities down the stretch to catch the Indians.

The ugly? Berlin’s 18-3 run to start the second half kept the Comets from getting a nonconference win on their home court, and the Indians returned home with a 59-50 win.

The Indians wasted little time taking control of the game by scoring the first 11 points. Waupaca chipped away at the lead and took a 19-18 lead late in the first half on Andrew McDonald’s three-pointer. The lead changed hands three more times before Carter Hess gave Berlin a 27-26 lead at the break with a basket just before the buzzer.

A slow start in the second half hurt Waupaca, as an 18-3 run gave the Indians their largest lead, 45-29.

Once again, however, the Comets cut into the lead and eventually pulled to 56-50 on a three-pointer from Westen Lauritzen with 35 seconds remaining.

Berlin, however, sealed the win from the free-throw line, and the Comets never got any closer.

Waupaca’s Austin Adamczak led all scorers with 16 points, and Aaron Wolff added 12.

Hess led four Berlin players in double figures with 15 points. Hayden Redington added 14, and Ryder Beulen and Aaron Bartol scored 11, respectively.

The Comets will open North Eastern Conference play Friday, Dec. 6, by hosting a doubleheader with Wrightstown and Freedom. The boys will face Wrightstown at 5:45 p.m, and the girls will host Freedom at approximately 7 p.m.