Rockets hold 13-1 edge on free throws to pull out road win

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

GREENWOOD — Spencer used a big advantage at the free throw line to hold off Greenwood 43-37 in a Cloverbelt Conference East Division boys basketball game Thursday night at Greenwood High School.

Spencer trailed by two points at halftime before outscoring Greenwood 24-16 in the second half to pull out the victory.

The Rockets ended a two-game losing streak and are now 3-6 overall and 3-4 in the Cloverbelt East. Greenwood falls to 2-7 and 1-5 in the conference.

Spencer shot just 27 percent from the field (14 of 52) and 52 on free throws (13 of 25) but outscored Greenwood 13-1 at the line and outrebounded the Indians 48-39.

Noah Zastrow was the only Rocket to score in double figures, tallying 18 points, which included 7 of 10 on free throws. Spencer’s top scorer, Jack Bezlyk, was held to two points on 1 of 15 shooting.

Vladimir Rivera had a game-high 14 rebounds in the victory for Spencer.

Spencer is off until next Thursday when it will play at home against Granton.

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

Rockets 43, Indians 37

Spencer 19 24 – 43

Greenwood 21 16 – 37

SPENCER (43): Noah Zastrow 5-10 7-10 18, Lukas Ellefson 3-4 2-2 9, Vladimir Rivera 2-3 2-6 6, Collin Nieman 2-9 0-0 4, Jacob Miller 1-6 1-5 3, Jack Bezlyk 1-15 0-1 2, Austin Bacon 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 14-52. FT: 13-25. 3-pointers: 2-12 (Zastrow 1-2, Ellefson 1-2, Bacon 0-1, Bezlyk 0-3, Nieman 0-4). Rebounds: 48 (Rivera 14). Fouls: 8. Fouled out: none. Record: 3-6, 3-4 Cloverbelt East.

GREENWOOD (37): Trevor Serocki 6-9 0-0 13, Alex Zimbauer 3-9 0-0 6, Zach Zimbauer 2-7 1-2 5, Walker Wuethrich 2-10 0-0 5, Devin Toburen 2-10 0-0 4, Cole Zimbauer 2-3 0-0 4, Cole Lucas 0-3 0-2 0, Marcus Marvin 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 17-58. FT: 1-4. 3-pointers: 2-19 (Serocki 1-3, Wuethrich 1-5, Marvin 0-1, Lucas 0-1, C. Zimbauer 0-1, A. Zimbauer 0-2, Toburen 0-5). Rebounds: 39 (Wuethrich 6). Fouls: 20. Fouled out: A. Zimbauer, Wuethrich. Record: 2-7, 1-5 Cloverbelt East.