The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Boys are 2-1 in their last three games, defeating Boone Central/Newman Grove 64-60 in a Mid-State Conference Tournament Consolation Game in Norfolk Friday, falling 66-53 to Battle Creek in a Tournament Consolation Game at Northeast Community College in Norfolk on Saturday, and winning 60-58 in overtime at Norfolk Catholic Monday night.
The Braves led the Bluejays 18-15 after one before winning the second quarter 13-12 to go up 31-27 at halftime.
Battle Creek outscored GACC 14-10 in the third quarter to lead 45-37 at the end of three.
The Braves put up 21 points in the fourth quarter compared to 16 for the Bluejays.
GACC got out to a 16-7 lead on the Knights after one. Norfolk Catholic outscored the Bluejays 15-11 in the second quarter to make it a 27-22 game at halftime in favor of GACC.
The Bluejays won the third quarter 16-15 to lead 43-37 at the end of three.
The Knights put up 18 points in the fourth quarter compared to 12 for GACC to tie the game at 55 and send it into overtime.
The Bluejays outlasted Norfolk Catholic 5-3 in the extra session.
I thought GACC did a great job beating the Cardinals. The Battle Creek and Norfolk Catholic games went okay I thought, but there is still definitely room for improvement with this team.
GACC (9-11) hosts Pierce (9-10) Thursday night.
Pierce lost 47-46 at West Point-Beemer Monday night, and has dropped three in a row.
I think GACC has a fairly decent shot to pick up a win on Thursday.
I feel the Cadets are comparable to GACC as I think both teams are about even so I could see GACC making it two wins in a row for West Point teams over Pierce.
GACC has to play better than they did against Norfolk Catholic though.
It's never easy going on the road and knocking off a team like the Knights, I understand that, but Pierce is better than Norfolk Catholic.
With that said, GACC is at home Thursday night, and should be able to play well enough to win I would think.
GACC needs the win heading into Saturday's game at Fremont Bergan, in my opinion.
Both Pierce and Bergan are down compared to years past, but both still have a lot of pride and tradition, and are better teams than their records, in my opinion.
So that means GACC is going to need to raise their level of play if they hope to knock off both Pierce and Bergan this week.
It would be a big deal for GACC to get back to .500, and that's exactly what would happen if GACC wins their remaining two games this week.
GACC just has to start finding some consistency in their play if they want to make state and do something there.
GACC has a tough game at Winnebago next Friday night, and Walthill is in their sub-district, so it's time for the Bluejays to start playing at a a consistently high level night in and night out.
If GACC can play like they did midseason and against Boone Central/Newman Grove last week, they can make state.
But when the Bluejays struggle to beat Norfolk Catholic and lose to Battle Creek the way they did is when they are most vulnerable, in my opinion.
Thursday night's game against Pierce is set to tip-off after the girls game, which is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m.
The GACC Girls are also 2-1 in their last three games, falling 46-42 to Wayne in the Mid-State Conference Tournament Semifinals at Northeast Community College in Norfolk Thursday night, before downing Pierce 51-40 in the third place game on Saturday, and Pender 50-32 in a regular season game at home Monday night.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 13-5 lead on the Bluejays after one before GACC outscored Wayne 11-5 in the second quarter to make it an 18-16 game at halftime.
Both teams scored 12 points in the third quarter, and the score after three was 30-28 in favor of the Bluejays.
The Blue Devils won the fourth quarter 16-14.
GACC led Pierce 8-6 after one and outscored them 14-9 in the second quarter to take a 22-15 lead into the locker room.
Pierce won the third quarter 16-13 to make it a 35-31 lead at the end of three.
GACC dominated the fourth quarter, putting up 16 points compared to 9 for Pierce.
Maddie Knobbe posted a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds while Lexis Haase notched 12 points and 7 rebounds. Lauren Wobken totaled 9 rebounds.
The Bluejays jumped out to a 13-10 lead after one on the Pendragons before winning the second quarter 9-6 to take a 22-16 lead into the locker room.
The game remained close in the third quarter as GACC outscored the Pendragons 11-8 in the third to go up 33-24 at the end of three.
The Bluejays ran away with things in the fourth quarter, putting up 17 points in the period and holding Pender to 8.
GACC was paced by Knobbe, who totaled a game-high 17 points. Wobken added 12 points and 11 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Hannah Hunke chipped in 9 points while Haase added 7 points and 7 rebounds.
Head Coach Jerry Stracke on the win. "We were both kind of feeling each other out. We're in the same sub-district so we're going to get a chance to see each other again. So it should be another good game."
GACC (17-2) hosts Pierce (16-6) Thursday night in a game that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.
Pierce defeated West Point-Beemer 69-45 on the road Monday night.
Pierce is definitely a tough team, and it won't be easy for GACC to knock them off again, but GACC should find a way to win this game.
I feel GACC is the tougher and better team between the two squads, and think GACC will find a way to win, especially since they are at home.
I think the Wayne game perhaps gave GACC a wake up call, and something to build off of in a motivational way.
I don't think GACC played their best basketball against the Blue Devils, but has played pretty good lights out basketball ever since.
GACC has Hunke back so that's really good news as GACC should be firing on all cylinders from here on out.
The Bluejays are pretty much heading to state no matter what happens in Sub-Districts, and should feel pretty good about their chances of winning it all in D-1 this year.
GACC has to keep their eye on the prize though. The Bluejays can't afford any more tough losses like the Wayne game.
GACC has to be lights out from here on out, and be on top of their game the rest of the season.
The Bluejays have gotten hot again and rediscovered some magic right in the nick of time so I look for GACC to find a way to win again on Thursday, and throughout the rest of the season.
I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the Wayne game serves as GACC's last loss of the season.
There's still a long ways to go and a lot of work left to be done, but one has to like GACC's chances of winning it all in D-1 this year.
A rematch with Pender likely awaits in the D1-4 Sub-District final next Thursday night at Wisner-Pilger, but GACC has to be focused on Pierce this coming Thursday night, and must take things one game at a time.
The Pierce game is set to start at 6:00 p.m. on the Bull.
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