A strong Tigerton team means a Central Wisconsin Conference-North championship probably isn’t in the cards for the Bowler or Marion boys basketball teams.
The Panthers and Mustangs headed into their CWC-North rematch Feb. 2 at Marion Elementary School with similar records, but Bowler built a 22-point halftime lead and returned home with a 53-27 win.
The Panthers never trailed after scoring the game’s first 11 points.
It was the start that Bowler coach Matt Brunner was hoping to see from his team as the Panthers improved to 3-3 in conference play and 6-7 overall.
“This is exactly what we needed, especially after our last two games,” he said. “We have a tough game coming up Tuesday against Suring, and then we get Tigerton Friday.”
Chase Stevens scored 15 of his team-high 17 points to help Bowler take a 32-10 halftime lead, and the Panthers held Marion without a field goal until Braylon Mielke’s basket cut the lead to 15-4 nine minutes into the game.
The Mustangs never got any closer than 17 points in the second half.
Treyvon Granquist and Blake Brunner also finished in double figures for Bowler with 10 points each, while Mielke led Marion with 17.
Coach Brunner said it’s important for his team to be playing its best basketball as the regular season winds down. The Panthers are also playing a varsity and junior varsity schedule with only 13 players between the two squads.
Marion, on the other hand, suited up more than 20 players for both games, and Bowler also won the JV contest.
“We have guys who are playing three halves for us,” Brunner said.
Marion fell to 6-10 overall and 2-4 in conference play with the loss.
