JV girls basketball team finishes season
with 13-4 record
A 50-26 win for the Galesburg-Augusta girls JV basketball team over Battle Creek St. Philip February 27 on the road gave the Rams a 13-4 finish.
Please note the February 28 Climax Crescent incorrectly stated the game against Delton-Kellogg was the regular season finale.
Kayla Bortolussi led G-A with 13 points, Lexi Coburn and Claire Callender each scored eight points, and Emily Coleman Jilaya Henry-Phillips each chipped in with seven points.
Rams won’t let loss in district championship
game diminish season accomplishments
While a 69-64 loss to Kalamazoo Christian in the district championship game February 28 at Hackett left the Galesburg-Augusta boys varsity basketball team dejected, Ram coach Brian Dolph feels a number of accomplishments achieved will leave the team looking back on the season with pride.
G-A finishes with a 19-5 overall record, with the 19 wins setting a school record for wins in a season. The Rams also set a school record for regular season wins (18), consecutive wins (14) and won a third straight SAC Central Division championship with a 9-1 division record.
“There are so many things to celebrate and in time, we will. I’m so proud of these young men and everyone that rallied behind them. They deserved their support and represented the communities of Galesburg and Augusta as well as any group could. It was certainly a fun ride and a group of young men I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to coach,” said Dolph.
The G-A coach was impressed how his team approached each game and how they were motivated to get better.
“This group of young men played the game the right way, and represented our community school district with integrity and class. I was truly a fan of watching them play. They played unselfishly and cared more about the teams success than any individual accolades. We fell short of our bigger goals but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. I’m sure when we have time to reflect, we will have an appreciation for everything that transpired this season,” adds the G-A coach.
The Comets answered G-A’s strong first half that left the Rams enjoying a 37-23 halftime lead, with a big second half when Kalamazoo Christian outscored G-A 46-27 to secure the win.
G-A, behind nine points by Jeremiah Mann, led by a 18-15 margin after one quarter.
Ethan Gibson heated up in the second quarter, scoring eight points that helped the Rams to a 37-23 halftime lead.
Kalamazoo Christian chipped away at the deficit by outscoring G-A 25-18 for a 55-48 Ram lead entering the fourth quarter.
G-A met multiple challenges in the fourth quarter when K-Christian moved in front for good. The Rams, who were just 3-for-10 at the free throw line, missed all four free throw attempts in the final quarter, C.J. Benard fouled out and floor shooting wasn’t as consistent as the team enjoyed in the first half.
G-A shot 41 percent (26-63) overall from the floor, including a 9-for-21 mark from the three-point line.
Jeremiah Mann finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Giovonni Evans had 14 points to go with two assists and five steals.
Seniors on the team are Jeremiah Mann, Ethan Thomas, Ethan Gibson, Nolan Brewer, Levi Born, and Anakin Jordan.
Kalamazoo Christian 15 8 25 21 - 69
Galesburg-Augusta 18 19 18 9 - 64
Jeremiah Mann 16, Ethan Thomas 4, C.J. Benard 6, Ethan Gibson 9, Giovonni Evans 14, Nolan Brewer 3, Anakin Jordan 4, Hayden Pritchard 8
Free throws: G-A 3-10/Kalamazoo Christian 9-17
3-point baskets: G-A 8 (Ethan Gibson 3, Jeremiah Mann 2, Hayden Pritchard 2, Nolan Brewer 1)/Kalamazoo Christian 8 (Ian Tuin 2, Austin Richmond 2, Jack Ayotte 1, Crosby Croel 1, Logan Herder 1, Jackson Herder 1)
Rebounds: Ethan Thomas 7, Jeremiah Mann 7, Anakin Jordan 5, Nolan Brewer 4, C.J. Benard 3, Ethan Gibson 3
Assists: Nolan Brewer 5, C.J. Benard 3, Jeremiah Mann 3, Giovonni Evans 2
Steals: Giovonni Evans 5, Jeremiah Mann 3
A strong fourth quarter effort, balanced scoring and a good night shooting from the floor helped the Galesburg-Augusta boys varsity basketball team hold off Comstock 73-60 February 26 in the district semifinal game at Kalamazoo Hackett Prep.
The Rams took a 19-4 record into the district championship game against Kalamazoo Christian, 55-44 winners over Hackett Prep in the other district semifinal game.
G-A coach Brian Dolph received a big fourth quarter from Jeremiah Mann and his team made 5-of-7 free throws in the final stanza to hold off the Colts, who entered the quarter trailing by a 48-43 count. Mann, who connected on a pair of three-point attempts, had 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Comstock enjoyed an 18-17 lead after one quarter, however the Ram defense held the Colts to just two baskets in the second quarter while Ethan Thomas took charge with nine points to help G-A to a 28-22 halftime lead.
G-A enjoyed a good night shooting from the floor, making 50 percent of its overall shots (26-51) including 5-of-11 (45 percent) from the three-point line.
Thomas, who knocked down 7-of-14 two-point attempts, had a double-double to lead G-A, scoring 19 points to go with 12 rebounds. Giovonni Evans had 16 points, C.J. Benard added 12 and Jeremiah Mann pitched in with 10 points.
Galesburg-Augusta 17 11 20 25 - 73
Comstock 18 4 21 17 - 60
Jeremiah Mann 10, Ethan Thomas 19, C.J. Benard 12, Ethan Gibson 2, Giovonni Evans 16, Nolan Brewer 12, Anakin Jordan 2
Free throws: G-A16-22/Comstock 3-9
3-point baskets: G-A 5 (Giovonni Evans 2, Jeremiah Mann 2, Nolan Brewer 1/Comstock 6 (Cayden Schultz 5, Tyler Baker 1)
Rebounds: Ethan Thomas 12, Nolan Brewer 6, Jeremiah Mann 6, C.J. Benard 6, Giovonni Evans 5
Assists: C.J. Benard 4, Giovonni Evans 4, Ethan Gibson 3, Nolan Brewer 3
Steals: Nolan Brewer 3, Giovonni Evans 3
Blocked shots: Jeremiah Mann 2, Nolan Brewer 1, Hayden Pritchard 1, Ethan Gibson 1
Lady Rams win regular season finale
over B.C. St. Philip
On February 27th the Galesburg-Augusta Ladies basketball team won their fourth game in a row improving their overall record to 14-7 with a 52-24 win over the Battle Creek St. Philip Tigers (9-13, 6-8) on the road.
G-A jumped out to a 17-2 lead after one quarter and went into halftime with a 26-4 lead. Jaidyn Klimp scored eight of her game high 16 points in the first half. Grace Gibson scored 6, Hailee Themins 5 and Jenisyn Klimp 4 for the Rams.
Coach Jake Wortinger used the second half to give more playing time to the subs by resting most of his starters. They responded, outscoring the Tigers 26-20. Lili Thompson, BreAnna Keene, Holley Coburn, Kayla Bortolussi and Emily Coleman all made it into the scoring column for G-A.
The Rams shot 42% (20/48) from the floor and 75% (6/8) from the free throw line.
G-A (14-7, 7-3) won the battle for the boards 52-27. Jaidyn Klimp picked up 10 rebounds, BreAnna Keene had 9, Ellesa Callender 6 and Grace Gibson and Rhyann Wilson 5 each.
Klimp, G-A’s all-time career scoring leader, entered the district tournament with 1189 points.
The week of March 3rd G-A will be hosting a very tough District Tournament that includes Kalamazoo Christian, Hackett C.C., Lawton, Comstock and G-A. The Rams will play Comstock at 7:00 on March 3.
Galesburg-Augusta 22 4 16 10 - 52
Battle Creek St. Phil 2 2 9 11 - 24
Grace Gibson 8, Hailee Themins 9, Breanna Keene 2, Lilli Thompson 2, Holley Coburn 3, Jaidyn Klimp 16, Jeni Klimp 6, Addi Born 2, Kayla Bortolussi 4, Emily Coleman 2
Free throws: G-A 6-8/Battle Creek St. Phil 3-18
3-point baskets: G-A 2 (Hailee Themins 2/Battle Creek St. Phil 1 (Addi Dzwik 1)
Rebounds: Jaidyn Klimp 10, Breanne Keene 9, Ellesa Calender 6, Grace Gibson 5, Rhyann Wilson 5, Kayla Bortolussi 3, Addison Born 3, Holley Coburn 3, Hailee Themins 3
Assists: Rhyann Wilson 3, Jenny Klimp 2
Steals: Jaidyn Klimp 5, Emily Coleman 3, Jenny Klimp 2, Grace Gibson 2
Blocked shots: Grace Gibson 1
Lady Rams dominate Comstock
in district opener
A good start that was fueled by pressure defense that created turnovers helped the Galesburg-Augusta girls varsity basketball team to a 58-19 win over Comstock in the district opener at G-A High School Monday night.
G-A, now 15-7, faced Hackett Prep Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the semifinal game at G-A. Lawton and Kalamazoo Christian squared off in the other semifinal game Wednesday. The district championship game is Friday at 7 p.m. at G-A.
G-A turned 10 Colt turnovers into 12 points, helping the home team to a 18-6 lead after one quarter.
The Lady Ram defense once again created havoc in the second frame, forcing Comstock into nine more turnovers that led to eight G-A points and a 40-9 halftime lead.
Nine more turnovers that led to six more G-A points and a 2-for-10 cold shooting quarter for the Colts, led to a 54-14 Ram lead after three quarters.
An Addi Born basket with 35.1 seconds left in the third quarter gave G-A a 54-14 lead and started a running clock.
“I wouldn’t say we were on our “A” game, but we moved much better most of the time. I thought we were a little bit slow at first but we took care of it,” said G-A coach Jake Wortinger.
Jaidyn Klimp scored 11 points to pace G-A in scoring and G-A’s all-time leading scorer entered the Hackett game Wednesday with 1200 career oints. Grace Gibson and Hailee Themins each scored 10 points and Jeni Klimp pitched in with nine.
Comstock 6 3 5 5 - 19
Galesburg-Augusta 18 22 14 4 - 58
Grace Gibson 10, Hailee Themins 10, Lilli Thompson 2, Jaidyn Klimp 11, Jeni Klimp 9, Addi Born 6, Ellesa Callender 6, Brooklyn James 2, Rhyann Wilson 2, Emily Caldwell 2
Free throws: G-A 7-18/Comstock 4-10
3-point baskets: G-A 3 (Grace Gibson 1, Hailee Themins 1, Jaidyn Klimp 1)/Comstock 1 (T. Hagenbuch 1)
G-A’s Breanna Keene battles 2 Comstock players for a rebound during district tournament action Monday at G-A High School.
(Photo by Bruce Rolfe)
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