Pirates play short-handed at Loyal, stumble at Greenwood

GILMAN BOYS BASKETBALL

Down to just seven available bodies, the Gilman boys basketball team was no match for Loyal on Tuesday, falling 63-13 on the Greyhounds’ home court.

Caleb Marion scored 10 of Gilman’s 13 points, including all seven in the first half, which ended with Loyal leading 357. He also scored Gilman’s first bucket of the second half off an Adam Draeger assist. Draeger added a basket on a drive to the basket and Zack Marion made a free throw to complete Gilman’s scoring.

Loyal got 21 points from Kaiden Hagen, including five 3-pointers. He hit three of those in succession midway through the second half to push Loyal’s lead to 59-9.

Kaden Olson added 17 points, including a trio of 3s.

With the win, Loyal improved to 4-4 in the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference and 5-6 overall. The Pirates are 0-8, 0-12.

Gilman is scheduled to host conference- leading Neillsville on Friday at 7:15 p.m. and then visit Colby, another strong team in the league, on Jan. 27.

Greenwood 54, Gilman 37

Foul trouble for three starters hurt the Pirates Thursday in Greenwood, where the Pirates fell 54-37 to the Indians in a game between two teams searching for their first Eastern Cloverbelt Conference wins.

Joey Syryczuk, Caleb Marion and Grady Kroeplin all had three fouls in the first 14 minutes. While the Indians didn’t necessarily take advantage at the free throw line, making just four of 13 in the first half and five of 17 overall, they were able to turn some steals and some long outlet passes off defensive rebounds into scores and build a comfortable lead.

The Indians led 18-3 before Kroeplin converted a three-point play, scoring off a baseline feed from Caleb Marion. Zack Marion also hit a high bank shot in the half, which ended with Greenwood leading 30-9.

The Indians slowly built that lead as high as 28 in the second half at 48-20, 50-22 and 52-24. Caleb Marion fouled out with 7:49 left and Kroeplin followed at 5:10. But the Pirates were still able to finish the game with a nice 13-2 run.

Kroeplin led Gilman with 12 points, including a second-half 3-pointer. Freshman Brayden Olynick made some aggressive plays in the second half and scored seven. Zack Marion scored six, while Caleb Marion, Dalton Wisocky and Syryczuk scored four points apiece.

Mason Learman led Greenwood with 16 points, while Ryver Glenn scored 14 and Xander Hinker added 13. The win put Greenwood at 1-6 in the conference and 4-9 overall.

Lincoln 45, Gilman 16

On Jan. 11, the Pirates got off to a slow start, trailing 26-8 at the half, and couldn’t recover in a 45-16 non-conference loss at Alma Center Lincoln.

Kroeplin scored seven points to lead Gilman, Branden Ustianowski scored four, Wisocky had three and Caleb Marion added two points.

The Hornets, who improved to 3-7 at the time, got 14 points from Keegan Holman and 11 from Stephen Werre in their win.