G-A JV basketball team starts season 2-0
The Galesburg-Augusta JV boys basketball team started the season impressively with a 45-40 win over Comstock November 26 at G-A High School and a 56-33 win over Climax-Scotts the following day at C-S.
G-A, behind eight points from Hunter Pritchard, rolled out to a 14-8 lead after one quarter against C-S.
The Rams expanded the lead to 33-18 at halftime behind the hot shooting of Giovonni Evans, who scored nine points, and Gavin Lock, who added eight points.
Eight more points by Pritchard in the third quarter helped the visitors take a 49-25 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Pritchard finished with 18 points, Gavin Lock and Evans each had nine points, Patrick Armock scored six points, Tony James had five points, Cayden Allie contributed four points, Nathaniel Ewert chipped in three points and Pannatat Pongwattana scored two points.
Galesburg-Augusta 14 19 16 7 - 56
Climax-Scotts 8 10 7 8 - 33
G-A 45, Comstock 40
The Galesburg-Augusta JV boys basketball team bounced back from a slow start to defeat Comstock 45-40 in the season opener at G-A High School November 26.
Comstock rolled out to a 12-5 lead after one quarter and held the Rams to just one basket and a free throw in the second quarter for a 18-8 halftime lead, but G-A’s offense perked up in the second half to register the win.
G-A, behind 14 points by Hunter Pritchard and six points by Patrick Armock, outscored the Colts 23-9 in the third quarter to take a 31-27 advantage into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter was close, however seven more points by Pritchard and six by Armock helped G-A hold on for the win.
Prtichard finished with a game high 25 points, Armock added 16 points, Cayden Allie scored two points and Jerome Bailey and Nathaniel Ewert each sank a free throw.
Comstock 12 6 9 13 - 40
Galesburg-Augusta 5 3 23 14 - 45
Returning varsity experience, depth leaves G-A girls basketball coach encouraged
By Bruce Rolfe
A roster that includes nine players with at least one year of varsity experience leaves first year Galesburg-Augusta girls varsity basketball coach Jake Wortinger encouraged entering the new season.
The Lady Rams open the season December 6 at Saugatuck.
G-A is coming off a 8-14 regular season finish last year, a 3-7 record in the SAC Central Division for fourth place and 9-15 overall after having their season end in the district semifinals against Kalamazoo Christian , 67-23.
Of the nine players with at least one year of varsity playing experience, one is entering a fourth year on the varsity and three players will be entering their third year playing on the varsity.
Senior Jaidyn Klimp, entering her fourth year on the varsity, will be counted on as a big contributor at both ends of the court. The three-time first team all-conference player averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and four steals a game last year.
Seniors Liliana Thompson, an all-conference honorable mention selection who averaged seve points a game last year, and Rhyann Wilson, along with junior Grace Gibson, also an all-conference honorable mention pick who averaged eight points and four rebounds a game, return for their
third season at the varsity level.
Seniors Holley Coburn, and Hailee Themins, juniors BreAnna Keene, sophomores Ellesa Callender, who averaged three rebounds a game and Brooklyn James, will be playing their second seasons on the varsity.
Junior Addison Born and freshman Jenisyn Klimp are first year varsity players.
“We have lots of girls with varsity experience and our team chemistry is really good. I have been impressed by how hard they work in practice. I believe we are a much deeper team than last year, one through eleven,” observed Wortinger.
While Wortinger views Saugatuck as favorites to win the SAC Central Division, with Gobles and Martin expected to also be competitive, he feels G-A’s returning experience should make the Lady Rams competitive as well.
“We lost several close games in the league last year and we believe we can be near the top of the standings this year. Our goal is to win the league this year. We will have a solid JV team and our middle school teams have amazing talent. The future looks very bright for our program,” said the first year Lady Ram coach.
G-A Girls Basketball
Coach: Jake Wortinger, 1st year varsity coach, over 30 years coaching in a variety of sports at G-A.
Last year: 9-15 overall, 3-7 SAC Valley Division, 4th place
Returners: Seniors Jaidyn Klimp, Liliana Thompson, Rhyann Wilson, Holley Coburn, Hailee Themins, juniors Grace Gibson, BreAnna Keene, sophomores Elesa Callender, Brooklyn James
New on the varsity: Junior Addison Born, freshman Jenisyn Klimp
G-A Girls JV/Var. Basketball
12/5 Saugatuck (JV) Home 5:30 p.m.
12/6 Saugatuck (Var.) Away 7 p.m.
12/10 Watervliet (JV/Var.) Home 5:30 p.m.
12/12 Black River (JV) Away 5:30 p.m.
12/13 Black River (Var.) Home 6 p.m.
12/16 Mich. Lutheran (JV/Var.) Home 5:30 p.m.
12/17 St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake (JV/Var.) Home 5:30 p.m.
12/19 Martin (JV) Away 5:30 p.m.
12/20 Martin (Var.) Home 6 p.m.
1/7 Schoolcraft (JV/Var.) Away 5:30 p.m.
1/9 Gobles (JV) Home 5:30 p.m.
1/10 Gobles (Var.) Away 6 p.m.
1/14 Parchment (JV/Var.) Home 5:30 p.m.
1/16 Delton (JV) Away 5:30 p.m.
1/17 Delton (Var.) Home 6 p.m.
Hall of Fame
1/21 Coloma (JV/Var.) Away 5:30 p.m.
1/23 Saugatuck (JV) Away 5:30 p.m.
1/24 Saugatuck (Home) 6 p.m.
G-A basketball coach encouraged multiple players are getting involved
By Bruce Rolfe
While Galesburg-Augusta boys varsity basketball coach Brian Dolph was pleased Jeremiah Mann and Giovonni Evans enjoyed strong offensive games in a 69-41 season opening victory over Comstock, the Ram coach was even more enthused how his team bought into a team concept
mentality by getting multiple players involved at both ends of the floor in G-A’s 65-31 win over Climax-Scotts November 27 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School.
Three Rams reached double figures in the scoring column, while piling up 13 assists at the offensive end. At the defensive end of the floor, G-A claimed 20 steals and forced C-S into 36 turnovers.
Giovonni Evans’ 20 points led the way for G-A. Jeremiah Mann and Ethan Thomas each added 15 points.
Mann added nine rebounds, handed out five assists and blocked two shots. Nolan Brewer came up with six steals and Evans and Mann each came up with four swipes.
“We encourage the guys, not just necessarily to push for the best shot. Defending. Taking one more pass. Being unselfish. Finding that guy that’s got a little better look. Taking as much pride in assists as you do scoring. It’s something we’ve been talking about. I like where we’re heading,” said Dolph.
A Maddox Wyman basket down low 46 seconds into the game opened the scoring and gave C-S its only lead of the contest.
Ethan Thomas knotted the score a short time later and then a Giovonni Evans triple with 5:38 left in the opening quarter gave G-A the lead for good.
The Rams led by a 13-8 count after one quarter.
Nine turnovers and cold shooting by C-S in the second quarter prevented the Panthers from keeping up with the Rams, who pulled away for a 34-17 halftime lead behind a trio of triples by Evans.
The stingy Ram defense and Panther cold shooting prevented the home team from making a basket from the floor in the second quarter until Tye Chambers scored with 2:38 left in the stanza for a 31-10 C-S deficit.
G-A continued to frustrate the Panthers, who managed to connect on just 4-of-16 attempts in the third quarter for a 47-25 Ram advantage after three quarters.
The Rams maintained the pressure in the fourth quarter, forcing six more C-S turnovers and holding the home team to 2-for-9 shooting.
G-A knocked down 36 percent (24-66) of its floor attempts including an 8-for-24 (33 percent) effort from the three-point line.
Galesburg-Augusta 13 21 13 18 - 65
Climax-Scotts 8 9 8 6 - 31
C-S: Chase VanMiddlesworth 8, Ivan Abad-Reyes 3, Johann Albarran-Aguilar 2, Dane Sattler 3, Maddox Wyman 6, Tye Chambers 8, Nyle Sattler 1
G-A: Levi Born 2, Jeremiah Mann 15, Ethan Thomas 15, CJ Benard 7, Giovonni Evans 20, Nolan Brewer 5, Hayden Pritchard 1
C-S 3-point baskets: Ivan Abad-Reyes 1, Tye Chambers 1/G-A: 8 (Giovonni Evans 5, Jeremiah Mann 2, Ethan Thomas 1)
Free Throws: C-S 5-15/G-A 9-19
G-A Stat Leaders
Rebounds: Jeremiah Mann 9, CJ Benard 6, Hayden Pritchard 5, Nolan Brewer 5
Assists: Jeremiah Mann 5, Ethan Gibson 3, Giovonni Evans 2
Blocked shots: Jeremiah Mann 2
Steals: Nolan Brewer 6, Giovonni Evans 4, Jeremiah Mann 4, Ethan Gibson 3
Jeremiah Mann Is a Scoring Machine in Season Opening Win
Galesburg-Augusta High School senior Jeremiah Mann picked up where he left off last year in the scoring department, pouring in a game high 26 points to help the Rams to a 69-41 win over Comstock in the season opener November 26 at G-A High School.
Mann, who averaged 17.8 points a game and enjoyed four games scoring 20 points or more last year, started strong, scoring seven points in the opening frame. Giovonni Evans, who finished with 13 points, added six points in the first quarter, helping G-A to a 16-9 lead entering the second quarter.
Comstock enjoyed its biggest offensive quarter in the second frame, pulling to within 29-23 at halftime.
Mann, who knocked down a trio of three-point baskets in the game, was nearly unstoppable in the third quarter, pouring in 15 points to help G-A to a 49-31 advantage after three quarters.
G-A shot 42 percent (27-63) overall from the floor including a 26 percent (5-19) effort from the three-point line.
Hayden Pritchard added eight points for the winners and Ethan Gibson tossed in seven points.
G-A came up with 16 steals, led by Ethan Gibson’s four swipes. Nolan Brewer pulled down 11 rebounds and Jeremiah Mann had seven.
Comstock 9 14 8 10 - 41
Galesburg-Augusta 16 13 20 20 - 69
Levi Born 2, Jeremiah Mann 26, Ethan Thomas 6, CJ Benard 2, Ethan Gibson 7, Giovonni Evans 13, Nolan Brewer 4, Aidan Moses 1, Hayden Pritchard 8
Free throws: G-A 10-22/Comstock 4-12
G-A 3-point baskets: 5 (Jeremiah Mann 3, Giovonni Evans 1, Hayden Pritchard 1)/Comstock 3-point baskets: 3 (Jayveonn Buchonnau 1, Cayden Schultz 1, Brent Wyatt 1)
G-A Stat Leaders
Rebounds: Nolan Brewer 11, Jeremiah Mann 7, Giovonni Evans 6, CJ Benard 4, Aidan Moses 3, Hayden Pritchard 3
Assists: Nolan Brewer 4, Giovonni Evans 3, Ethan Gibson 3
Blocked shots: CJ Benard 1
Steals: Ethan Gibson 4, Jeremiah Mann 3, Levi Born 3, Nolan Brewer 2, CJ Benard 2
While Galesburg-Augusta boys varsity basketball coach Brian Dolph was pleased Jeremiah Mann and Giovonni Evans enjoyed strong offensive games in a 69-41 season opening victory over Comstock, the Ram coach was even more enthused how his team bought into a team concept
mentality by getting multiple players involved at both ends of the floor in G-A’s 65-31 win over Climax-Scotts November 27 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School.
Three Rams reached double figures in the scoring column, while piling up 13 assists at the offensive end. At the defensive end of the floor, G-A claimed 20 steals and forced C-S into 36 turnovers.
Giovonni Evans’ 20 points led the way for G-A. Jeremiah Mann and Ethan Thomas each added 15 points.
Mann added nine rebounds, handed out five assists and blocked two shots. Nolan Brewer came up with six steals and Evans and Mann each came up with four swipes.
“We encourage the guys, not just necessarily to push for the best shot. Defending. Taking one more pass. Being unselfish. Finding that guy that’s got a little better look. Taking as much pride in assists as you do scoring. It’s something we’ve been talking about. I like where we’re heading,” said Dolph.
A Maddox Wyman basket down low 46 seconds into the game opened the scoring and gave C-S its only lead of the contest.
Ethan Thomas knotted the score a short time later and then a Giovonni Evans triple with 5:38 left in the opening quarter gave G-A the lead for good.
The Rams led by a 13-8 count after one quarter.
Nine turnovers and cold shooting by C-S in the second quarter prevented the Panthers from keeping up with the Rams, who pulled away for a 34-17 halftime lead behind a trio of triples by Evans.
The stingy Ram defense and Panther cold shooting prevented the home team from making a basket from the floor in the second quarter until Tye Chambers scored with 2:38 left in the stanza for a 31-10 C-S deficit.
G-A continued to frustrate the Panthers, who managed to connect on just 4-of-16 attempts in the third quarter for a 47-25 Ram advantage after three quarters.
The Rams maintained the pressure in the fourth quarter, forcing six more C-S turnovers and holding the home team to 2-for-9 shooting.
G-A knocked down 36 percent (24-66) of its floor attempts including an 8-for-24 (33 percent) effort from the three-point line.
Galesburg-Augusta 13 21 13 18 - 65
Climax-Scotts 8 9 8 6 - 31
C-S: Chase VanMiddlesworth 8, Ivan Abad-Reyes 3, Johann Albarran-Aguilar 2, Dane Sattler 3, Maddox Wyman 6, Tye Chambers 8, Nyle Sattler 1
G-A: Levi Born 2, Jeremiah Mann 15, Ethan Thomas 15, CJ Benard 7, Giovonni Evans 20, Nolan Brewer 5, Hayden Pritchard 1
C-S 3-point baskets: Ivan Abad-Reyes 1, Tye Chambers 1/G-A: 8 (Giovonni Evans 5, Jeremiah Mann 2, Ethan Thomas 1)
Free Throws: C-S 5-15/G-A 9-19
G-A Stat Leaders
Rebounds: Jeremiah Mann 9, CJ Benard 6, Hayden Pritchard 5, Nolan Brewer 5
Assists: Jeremiah Mann 5, Ethan Gibson 3, Giovonni Evans 2
Blocked shots: Jeremiah Mann 2
Steals: Nolan Brewer 6, Giovonni Evans 4, Jeremiah Mann 4, Ethan Gibson 3
Jeremiah Mann Is a Scoring Machine in Season Opening Win
Galesburg-Augusta High School senior Jeremiah Mann picked up where he left off last year in the scoring department, pouring in a game high 26 points to help the Rams to a 69-41 win over Comstock in the season opener November 26 at G-A High School.
Mann, who averaged 17.8 points a game and enjoyed four games scoring 20 points or more last year, started strong, scoring seven points in the opening frame. Giovonni Evans, who finished with 13 points, added six points in the first quarter, helping G-A to a 16-9 lead entering the second quarter.
Comstock enjoyed its biggest offensive quarter in the second frame, pulling to within 29-23 at halftime.
Mann, who knocked down a trio of three-point baskets in the game, was nearly unstoppable in the third quarter, pouring in 15 points to help G-A to a 49-31 advantage after three quarters.
G-A shot 42 percent (27-63) overall from the floor including a 26 percent (5-19) effort from the three-point line.
Hayden Pritchard added eight points for the winners and Ethan Gibson tossed in seven points.
G-A came up with 16 steals, led by Ethan Gibson’s four swipes. Nolan Brewer pulled down 11 rebounds and Jeremiah Mann had seven.
Comstock 9 14 8 10 - 41
Galesburg-Augusta 16 13 20 20 - 69
Levi Born 2, Jeremiah Mann 26, Ethan Thomas 6, CJ Benard 2, Ethan Gibson 7, Giovonni Evans 13, Nolan Brewer 4, Aidan Moses 1, Hayden Pritchard 8
Free throws: G-A 10-22/Comstock 4-12
G-A 3-point baskets: 5 (Jeremiah Mann 3, Giovonni Evans 1, Hayden Pritchard 1)/Comstock 3-point baskets: 3 (Jayveonn Buchonnau 1, Cayden Schultz 1, Brent Wyatt 1)
G-A Stat Leaders
Rebounds: Nolan Brewer 11, Jeremiah Mann 7, Giovonni Evans 6, CJ Benard 4, Aidan Moses 3, Hayden Pritchard 3
Assists: Nolan Brewer 4, Giovonni Evans 3, Ethan Gibson 3
Blocked shots: CJ Benard 1
Steals: Ethan Gibson 4, Jeremiah Mann 3, Levi Born 3, Nolan Brewer 2, CJ Benard 2
G-A’s Ethan Gibson (5) drives through the lane during action against Climax-Scotts November 27 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School.
Photo by Bruce Rolfe
Photo by Bruce Rolfe
