Boys basketball: Thorp thumps Lake Holcombe

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By DAVID BOSSICK / The Chippewa Herald
Saturday, February 23, 2008 11:09 PM CST

NEW AUBURN — When it comes to tournament time, watch out for Thorp early.

The Cardinals jumped all over Lake Holcombe early as they opened the game with a 16-0 run on the way to a 78-40 rout of the Chieftains for a WIAA Division 3 regional title.

Thorp blew out its third straight opponent since losing a six-point game to Fall Creek, with all three wins coming in the post-season.

“We’ve approached every team like it was going to be the end,” Thorp coach Rich Sonnentag said. “They were prepared. They worked hard to prepare for each opponent and respect them.

“They were fearful that anyone could beat them.”

It’s the first sectional tournament berth for the Thorp boys basketball team since 1992. The Cardinals play Luck at 8 p.m. Friday in Spooner. Drummond plays Mellen in the other sectional semifinal, also at Spooner.

“We haven’t been to a regional final in a while, so the kids had some nerves,” Sonnentag said. “They were calmed down right away.”

The Cardinals created turnovers and used their clear height advantage to limit the Chieftains to one shot offensively. Thorp ran the floor similar to many of the Cloverbelt schools and were able to convert shots close in as well as kick it out for open 3-pointers.

“We made nice passing in the first half. We did a nice job of attacking their press by passing and not dribbling it,”Sonnentag said.

Lee Kostick ended Lake Holcombe’s drought on the scoreboard, but Thorp continued to press the issue.

The Cardinals pushed 27-8 first quarter lead to 35 points by the half.

“We just could not match up with them. They were much taller, much quicker,” Lake Holcombe coach Kent Kindschy said. “They came out on fire and we came out struggling, shooting-wise, in that first quarter.

“That put is down deeper than what we could bail out of.”

The Chieftains have come back from double-digit deficits a handful of times this season, but Saturday night wasn’t the night.

“I thought at the end of the first quarter, we settled down a little bit and the shots would start to fall,” Kindschy said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t.”

It also got even uglier for Lake Holcombe beyond the score. The Chieftains were whistled for a technical foul in the second quarter and two intentional fouls in the third quarter.

Ari Pszeniczny led Thorp (17-6) with 20 points, 14 of which was in the first half. Eric Strzok and Scott Horn added 13 points apiece.

Joey Lamoureux, one of six seniors that will leave the program, led Lake Holcombe (17-6) with 13 points. Lake Holcombe also graduates Brandon Crank, Kent Velie, Cody Schneider, Marcus Ortman and Tyler Marshall.

“They’re just a great group of guys and I hate to see them go,” Kindschy said.“I’ve gotten so many good compliments about them.”

Reach David Bossick at david.bossick@lee.net.