Staff
If the Muskie junior boys’ basketball team was going to make a dent in the NorWOSSA win column, it was going to take a group effort.
Coach Angela Petsnick saw that group band together and weather a late push by the Kenora Broncos to earn a 45-43 decision here last Thursday for the squad’s first victory of the regular season.
It also gave the Muskies (1-4) their initial winning streak of the campaign after capturing the seventh-place final against the Sioux Lookout Warriors at the Kenora Invitational Tournament the previous weekend.
“Beating Sioux Lookout was a good shot of confidence for us,” noted Petsnick.
“But to beat Kenora–which won the tournament–is a huge boost of confidence for them.”
Garrett Hyatt led the Muskies with 13 points, including a clutch three-pointer in the waning moments of the fourth quarter that tied the game 41-41.
Hyatt, one of only two veterans on the squad, then drained two key free throws in the final 10 seconds that proved to be the winning margin.
But he had plenty of help in the form of Jreydon Indian with 12 points, including three big baskets in the fourth quarter.
“Jreydon had a really good game and has really improved since the beginning of the year,” noted Petsnick.
“There’s something there that’s sparking him right now.”
Sean Huziak and Mike Vanderaa added seven points.
Kolby White-Loon paced the Broncos (3-3) with a game-high 21 points.
But the Muskies’ defence stepped up big on the burly bomber on two-straight possessions in the fourth quarter, drawing charging fouls both times.
“We switched to playing zone,” Petsnick revealed.
“The guys have been wanting to play zone since Day 1, but I told them they have to learn good defence first,” she remarked.
“Wyatt Richards played some really good defence and he’s starting to get his shot off better, too.”
The Broncos trailed 19-16 at the half, and all the way through the third quarter, before taking their first lead in the fourth–prompting Petsnick to call a time-out.
“I just told them to play their game and don’t worry about the clock or the score,” she recalled.
“They just needed to calm down and try the fast break only if it was there to be had.”
The juniors were looking to keep their roll going yesterday when they hosted the Kenora Broncos.
The outcome was unavailable as of press time.
