Tigers held to 13 of 30 shooting

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — The Marshfield boys basketball team had upset on its mind as it faced its third state-ranked team of the early season on Tuesday night when it hosted two-time defending WIAA Division 1 state champion Stevens Point.

The Tigers started strong, but a late first-half run by Stevens Point opened up a double-digit lead for the Panthers, and they cruised from there, beating Marshfield 70-47 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference opener for both teams on Tuesday night at The Boson Company Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.

Marshfield (2-5) led 12-5 five minutes into the game following a basket by Seth Anderson and three free throws by Alec Hinson.

Stevens Point (5-1), playing without injured junior and top scorer Joey Hauser, found its groove and responded with an 8-2 run to climb to within a point.

The lead changed hands a few times, and a basket by Ethan Posteluk gave Marshfield a 21-20 advantage with 5:38 to go in the half.

That would be the last time the Tigers were ahead. Point closed the half with an 18-4 run to take a 38-25 lead into intermission. Marshfield turned the ball over three times and missed all three of its field goal attempts in the final five minutes of the half.

Marshfield made just six field goals in the second half and had a tough time stopping the Panthers, making it impossible to make any sizeable run at their lead.

Posteluk made two 3-pointers and a two free throws as Marshfield closed to within 45-35 a little more than three minutes into the second half. However, Point responded by scoring on seven of its next nine possessions and eventually building its lead to 21.

Posteluk and Grant Michaelis each finished with 13 points to lead Marshfield. Hinson added 10, going a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line.

Drew Blair topped Stevens Point with 23 points, 17 coming in the first half when he drilled three 3-pointers. Beau Rosenthal added 14 points in the win.

Marshfield plays at Wisconsin Rapids on Friday as part of a girls-boys doubleheader. The girls game starts at 6 p.m., with the boys to follow at approximately 7:45 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on WDLB-AM 1450 and wdlbwosq.com.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Panthers 70, Tigers 47

Stevens Point 38 32 – 70

Marshfield 25 22 – 47

STEVENS POINT (70): Beau Rosenthal 6-11 1-2 14, Sam Simmons 1-2 0-0 2, Drew Blair 8-14 4-6 23, Andrew Erdman 4-4 1-2 12, Drew Cullen 3-5 0-0 7, Brennan Mueller 0-3 0-0 0, Logan Lewis 3-3 0-0 6, Max Hofmeister 1-1 0-0 2, Keon’te Williams 2-5 0-0 4. FG: 28-48. FT: 6-10. 3-pointers: 8-15 (Blair 3-6, Erdman 3-3, Cullen 1-2, Rosenthal 1-2, Mueller 0-1, Williams 0-1). Rebounds: 24 (Blair 8). Turnovers: 5. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Lewis. Record: 5-1, 1-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.

MARSHFIELD (47): Ethan Posteluk 4-9 2-2 13, Brant Bohman 0-1 3-4 3, Seth Anderson 2-6 0-1 4, Alec Hinson 0-3 10-10 10, Grant Michaelis 5-8 2-2 13, Isaac Meverden 0-0 0-0 0, Nathan McGrath 0-1 0-0 0, John Reigel 0-0 0-0 0, Adam Hauge 1-1 0-0 2, Nick Stewart 1-1 0-0 2. FG: 13-30. FT: 17-19. 3-pointers: 4-15 (Posteluk 3-8, Michaelis 1-2, Hinson 0-3, Bohman 0-1, McGrath 0-1). Rebounds: 15 (Michaelis 5). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: none. Record: 2-5, 0-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference.