Oconto Falls boys basketball team struggles against Little Chute’s height

The Oconto Falls High School boys basketball team was unable to keep pace with Little Chute in a North Eastern Conference matchup Dec. 15 in Oconto Falls.

Little Chute’s height and 2-3 zone defense made life tough on the Oconto Falls’ offense. The height advantage also helped the visiting Mustangs control the glass and eventually come away with a 70-35 win.

“As a team overall, for this conference, we’re undersized. So we really got to bring it and be tough, box out and be fundamentally sound,” said first-year Oconto Falls coach Joe Bebeau.

“To be honest with you, when we went over zone yesterday at practice, I need to do a better job as their coach and their leader, and that’s what we talked about in the locker room. We talked about the rebounding being on them, and having them bring it and be more physical. Then we talked about that I need to coach them better and teach them zone offense better.”

In the early stages of the contest, Oconto Falls’ defense did a strong job of contesting Little Chute shots, but the Panthers were unable to corral many of the missed shots, which led to several second-chance points for the visitors.

Little Chute built an early six-point cushion, but field goals from juniors Jake Sager and Isaac Raddatz helped Oconto Falls back to within two points, 12-10.

The Mustangs seized control of the game for good after going on an 11-0 run.

After being down 32-16, 3-pointers from Sager and Raddatz looked to maybe spark the Panthers with a couple minutes left in the half. Instead, the Mustangs ended the half on a 4-0 run before pushing the lead up to 20 early in the second half and easing to victory.

Oconto Falls did a better job of rebounding in the final half, but turnovers kept the team from making a dent in the deficit. The Panthers were held to five field goals and a couple of free throws in the final 18 minutes.

“Rebounding and taking care of the ball are some of the most important aspects of the game as a team. If we can’t rebound and take care of the ball, we can’t score or stop the other team from scoring,” said Raddatz.

“One thing we can take away (from the game) is how physical we need to play to compete against the teams in our conference. We are a small team, but we can definitely play with these teams; we just need to match their physicality. We had many good defensive stretches, but Little Chute is a good team and hit their shots.”

Raddatz led the way for the Panthers, scoring 15 points. Sager was the only other player over four points, tallying eight.

While it’s been a slow start to the year for the Panthers, the team remains upbeat and focused on improving as the season marches on.

“Just talking to them and giving them advice from my experiences,” said Panther senior Braden Uelmen, on how he’s helping the team after the tough start. “Last year was my first year on varsity, and it is for a lot of the guys this year. So I try to tell them the same thing coaches told me last year: ‘Don’t get nervous. Take your shot. Play your game.’”

Little Chute 36 34 — 70

Oconto Falls 22 13 — 35

Little Chute (70): Bryson Roche 0-0 2, Drew Lamers 2-2 6, Jake Weigman 0-1 2, Tate Huss 2-2 18, Carson Wyngaard 0-0 2, Kade VanAsten 1-2 11, Drew Joten 0-2 6, Brandon Brockman 0-0 7, Carter Engle 0-0 2, Hunter Thiel 0-3 12, Tim Buchholz 2-3 2.

Oconto Falls (35): Braden Vandermoss 2-4 2, Grady McNichols 0-0 3, Jake Sager 0-0 8, Isaac Raddatz 2-2 15, Braden Uelmen 0-0 3, Carter Hill 0-0 4.

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