Christian Haffner scored 29 points as he and the rest of the Gresham Community High School boys basketball team overwhelmed Menominee Indian 77-48 Friday night to advance to the championship game of the Gresham Booster Club Holiday Tournament in Gresham.
Haffner, a senior guard, had 14 points in the first quarter as the Wildcats jumped out to a 28-10 lead in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Gresham Community High School fieldhouse. By halftime, Gresham was up 45-21.
“We knew they were a little short-handed bench-wise,” Gresham coach Jeff Zobeck said. “We wanted to take advantage of that and run them a little bit.”
Gresham (6-0, 5-0 CWC-10) was hot from the perimeter all game. Haffner hit a pair of 3s in the first period. Freshman guard Drew Haffner and sophomore guard Neal Cerveny each added a 3 in the third quarter. Gresham would finish the game with seven 3s.
“There were some thing we could have cleaned up in there,” Zobeck said, “but I think we played as good a first half as we’ve played.”
Despite not scoring for the first 4:30 minutes of the second half, Menominee Indian (4-2, 3-2 CWC-10) outscored Gresham 12-11 in the third quarter. Gresham shut the door with a 21-15 fourth quarter.
Cerveny finished with 14 points.
Forward Domonic Caldwell led Menominee Indian with 14 points.
Gresham set up extra bleachers on the stage next to the court for the game to accommodate the extra crowd.
“(Menominee Indian) is a solid team,” Zobeck said. “Playing at home, playing in the holiday tournament were pretty big factors. The turnout with a great crowd, it was great to see the guys respond.”
Gresham will play Goodman-Pembine, who beat Oneida Nation 42-41 earlier in the day, in the boys varsity championship Saturday.
In junior varsity action, Wolf River Lutheran beat Goodman-Pembine 34-29 and Gresham beat Menominee Indian 52-17.
Menominee Indian (48)
Corn 2 0-0 5, Pecore 5 1-1 12, Caldwell 5 4-7 14, Frechette 1 4-6 7, Smith 1 4-6 7, Waupoose 1 0-0 3
Gresham (77)
D. Haffner 1 0-0 3, Nietzer 2 0-0 4, Cerveny 5 2-6 14, C. Haffner 12 2-3 29, Eggert 3 1-1 7, Fischer 3 2-2 8, Kazik 0 2-2 2, Hoffman 1 0-0 3, Ile 2 2-2 7
Menominee Indian 10 11 12 15 — 48
Gresham 28 17 11 21 — 77
Categories
