The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Boys Basketball Team lost 80-64 at home to Winnebago to end the regular season Friday night before falling 60-50 in overtime to Pender in the D1-4 Sub-District Semifinals at Wisner-Pilger Tuesday night.
The Indians led the Bluejays 17-15 after one, and outscored GACC 23-9 in the 2nd quarter to take a 40-24 lead into the locker room.
Winnebago won the 3rd quarter 21-16 to extend the lead to 61-40 at the end of three.
The Bluejays won the 4th quarter 24-19.
Landon Stalp had a team-high 23 points and 9 rebounds while Casey Doernemann had 12 points and 10 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Jared Minnick added 10 points and 8 rebounds.
The Bluejays raced out to a 13-7 lead at the end of one before the Pendragons outscored GACC 21-14 in the 2nd quarter to go up 28-27 at halftime.
Both teams scored 9 points in the 3rd quarter, and the score after 3 was 37-36 in favor of Pender.
The Bluejays won the 4th quarter 13-12 to tie the game at 49 and sent it into OT.
The Pendragons outlasted GACC 11-1 in the extra session.
Stalp had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds while Bryant Rief registered 12 points. Doernemann notched 8 points and 7 rebounds while Minnick totaled 7 points and 8 rebounds.
I thought the Bluejays might keep their season going Tuesday night, but Pender had other ideas.
GACC ends the year at 3-18.
Not a typical Bluejay like year, but GACC had a first year head coach and lost a lot of players last year.
The Bluejays ended the year on a 12-game losing streak, not winning a game in the 2018 portion of their schedule.
I thought GACC played better basketball towards the end of the season though.
The Bluejays graduate just two players in Rief and Derek Petz.
Key returners include Minnick, Stalp, Doernemann, Hunter Uhing, Adam Reeson, and Josh Wordekemper.
I think GACC will be much improved next season.
With a full year of offseason growth and development the Bluejays should be primed to get back to their winning ways next season.
GACC has to play the sport as much as possible between now and November though.
Next season starts today, and the more basketball the Bluejays play the better they are going to be next year.
I'm sure a lot of these players are involved in spring sports like baseball and track, but devoting proper time to basketball once spring sports are over is going to be key, in my opinion.
GACC has to also lift as much as possible this offseason.
Participating in open gyms, team camps, summer leagues, and summer camps are all important for the returning players and newcomers I would say.
The returning players and newcomers have to be active and busy this summer, and must continue to develop as well rounded student athletes.
The Bluejays have to be gym rats, and have to urge Coach Stieren to open the gym for them a lot.
Getting good participation numbers in summer lifting and team activities is going to be very critical to the success of GACC next season and beyond, in my opinion.
The Bluejays have to work hard, and get more skilled, faster, bigger, and stronger.
GACC has to play with drive and determination this offseason.
The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Girls Basketball Team thwarted any hopes Clarkson/Leigh had of advancing to a District Final and making State as the Bluejays knocked off the Patriots 54-33 in the D1-4 Sub-District Final at Wisner-Pilger last Thursday night.
The Patriots led 9-8 at the end of the 1st quarter, but the Bluejays outscored Clarkson/Leigh 19-12 in the second frame to capture a 27-21 halftime lead.
GACC tripled up the Patriots 12-4 in the 3rd quarter to extend their lead to 39-25 at the end of three.
The Bluejays outscored Clarkson/Leigh 15-8 in the 4th quarter.
Lexis Haase led GACC with 25 points and 8 rebounds. Ally Plagge added 10 points and 8 rebounds while Marissa Hunke scored 7 points.
Head Coach Jerry Stracke says his team settled into the game after the 1st quarter. "I thought we were more relaxed, and we kind of settled down, and got into a groove. 1st quarter we were a little nervous I thought, played a little tight. And I thought as the game went along they did a lot better."
Stracke adds it was a strong defensive performance by his team. "I thought it was a great effort defensively by everybody. Clarkson has some great players, they're very good off the dribble. And I thought defensively we kind of shut that down a little bit. So I would have to give credit to everybody that was out on the floor."
GACC (19-6) takes on Weeping Water (17-8) in the D1-2 District Final at Wahoo Friday night.
The Indians topped Nebraska City Lourdes 47-38 in the D1-3 Sub-District Final at Raymond Central last Thursday night.
These two teams met in a District Final last year with the Bluejays winning handily, 59-18.
I look for this year's game to be similar to last year's.
GACC may not win by as much as they did last year, but I look for the Bluejays to win by at least 15 or 20.
GACC plays a very tough schedule and is battle tested, and I just don't know if Weeping Water has played the same caliber of teams.
Haase needs to have a gigantic game for the Bluejays as does Hunke and Angela Jansen.
More important than offense for GACC though is defense, in my opinion.
The Bluejays have to play in your face, suffocating defense to win this one rather handily I would say.
GACC should be able to make state even if they lose, but I don't anticipate the Bluejays having any problems Friday night.
GACC is a great team, and is having a great season, and I look for it to continue all the way to state next week.
The Bluejays are playing their best basketball at the right time, and are going to be tough for anyone to beat from here on out, that's for sure.
GACC has to play a complete game Friday night, and win big over the Indians.
It's looking like the Bluejays could get the 3 seed at the state tournament, but we'll have to wait and see how things all shake out.
GACC has to come ready to play Friday night, and I fully expect them to do just that.
I think you will see a very determined, aggressive, and motivated Bluejay team take the floor Friday night.
It should be fairly smooth sailing and another win for GACC.
Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m.
A win ensures the Bluejays a trip to state for the 21st straight season.
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