BOYS TOWN n After three consecutive games against teams ranked in the top 10, the Fremont Bergan boys basketball is familiar with Class C-1’s elite. None of the competition proved as tough, however, as Boys Town on Thursday night.
The Cowboys outrebounded Bergan 20-11 in the second half and went on a 15-5 third-quarter run en route to a 74-61 victory at Palrang Field House.
According to Boys Town coach Tom Krehbiel the game was his team’s most complete performance this year. The defending C-1 state champions, 10-4, are beginning to position themselves for another postseason title run.
“Wes Eikmeier is the real deal and (Bergan) is a really good basketball team,” Krehbiel said of the C-2 Knights. “I’m so proud of our guys for winning that game... I think that intense on-the-ball pressure started wearing them down in the third quarter and we got some big points. That’s the team I’ve been waiting to see for two months.”
Thursday night’s game was a back-and-forth battle as the two teams exchanged leads four times in the first three quarters. Bergan guard Wes Eikmeier hit a 3-pointer to spark an 8-0 second-quarter run, giving the Knights a 26-21 lead. Boys Town cut the deficit to 32-29 as Jamie Delgado hit a buzzer beater to end the half.
Bergan held a one possession lead through the first five minutes of the third quarter. Robert Labron came off the bench and converted two three-point plays while Will Porter added a clutch 3-pointer as Boys Town outscored the Knights 15-5 in the final three minutes of the quarter to take a 54-44 lead.
Brian Liekhus followed up a Chad Swanson basket with a 3-pointer, cutting Boys Town’s edge to 61-54 with 4:30 left to play. The Cowboys responded with a 13-7 run to close the game.
“Their size and athleticism really gave us some fits,” Bergan coach Chris Paulson said. “When they missed, they seemed to get the offensive rebound and put it back in. There wasn’t many possessions in the second half where we got stops and that ended up being the difference in the game.”
“When (Boys Town) plays that well they are as good as anybody. We’ve obviously seen the best in C-1 and if they can shoot the ball on the perimeter like that, they’re going to be tough to beat.”
Boys Town made 32-of-59 field goals while Bergan shot 20-for-53 from the floor. Delgado led the Cowboys with 17 points. Labron added 14 second-half points.
Eikmeier led Bergan with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Swanson added 11 points to go with a team-high five rebounds.
Fremont Bergan, 15-2, returns to action 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Wahoo Neumann.
Fremont Bergan 16 16 12 17 n 61
Boys Town 17 12 25 20 n 74
FREMONT BERGAN nLiekhus 2-12, 0-0, 3, 6; Brown 1-7, 1-2, 4, 3; Wilmes 2-7, 0-0, 4, 6; Morrissey 1-5, 2-3, 0, 4; Swanson 3-4, 5-6, 3, 11; Eikmeier 7-14, 4-6, 2, 22; Melies 4-4, 1-2, 1, 9. Totals n 20-53, 13-19, 17, 61.
3-point field goals n Eikmeier 4, Liekhus 2, Wilmes 2.
BOYS TOWN n Meaders 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Porter 2-4, 0-0, 2, 5; Gandy 4-10, 2-4, 3, 11; McKoy 4-6, 0-1, 3, 8; Battle 5-8, 0-0, 2, 10; Pryor 4-9, 1-2, 3, 9; Labron 5-8, 4-4, 3, 14; Delgado 8-11, 1-2, 1, 17; Connors 0-2, 0-0, 0, 0. Totals n 32-59, 8-13, 17, 74.
3-point field goals n Gandy, Porter.
Rebounds: FB 28 (Swanson, Brown 5), BT 38 (Pryor, Delgado 8). Turnovers: FB 14, BT 17. Steals: FB 8, BT 7.
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