La Grange Rallies Late to Beat Schulenburg by 10
Two weeks ago, the Schulenburg Shorthorns opened their basketball season with a 15 point win over La Grange.
But Tuesday it was a different story as the two teams again battled, this time with the Leps winning 58-48.
The game was tied 34-34 after the first three quarters, but La Grange erupted for 24 fourth quarter points. Bravion Rogers led La Grange with 19 points. Brandon Scott scored 15, and 11 of those came in the pivotal fourth quarter.
La Grange improved to 2-2 with the win and play Friday at Bellville.
“It was a good game. Schulenburg put pressure on the ball all night and we turned the ball over. I thought it was rough. When it’s a rough game like that you have to adjust,” La Grange head coach David Cooper said.
“Brandon is so athletic. He’s still learning offenses. That’s what we need from him – slashing to the basket and being athletic.”
Scott, a senior, is one of seven varsity newcomers for the Leps, who went 10-17 last season and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
“It feels great to be playing with this team and I hope we can take it farther than they did last year,” Scott said.
The varsity returnees include Rogers, Caden Cooper and Jordan Scott.
“With just three guys that played varsity last year there’s lots of new faces, lots of guys that haven’t played varsity basketball before. It’s a lot faster. The passes you could make against freshmen or JV teams, you can’t make against a varsity team. They are learning that.”
Head coach David Cooper now has two sons on varsity, Caden, a senior, and Jaxon, a sophomore varsity newcomer, who scored seven Tuesday. “It’s really kinda what I’ve been waiting for all these years. To be able to coach both of those guys on the same team at the same time is really special.”
Shorthorns Primed for Big Things
Schulenburg was led in scoring by Alex Lozano, who had 12 points and Brett Janecek, who scored 11.
The Leps’ surge in the fourth quarter came after Schulenburg’s Kenny King suffered an injury late in the third quarter and did not return.
Schulenburg was also without Bryce Wilson, who had scored 20 points in the first meeting between those two teams, was also out with an injury.
“La Grange is very good. I was impressed with them. They do a great job of penetrating,” said Schulenburg head coach Richard Hoogendoorn. “We’re a little beat up, but we’ll get better.
“Alex (Lozano, at a towering six-foot-eight) had 22 the first game and they didn’t let him get many touches tonight.”
Tuesday’s loss was the first of the season for the Shorthorns (1- 1). The only other game they’ve played was the first meeting against the Leps. Schulenburg has had three other games cancelled because of COVID.
Despite the lack of action so far, Hoogendoorn is really excited about his squad – in this, his 38th year of coaching.
“I still enjoy it, I love this group of kids. This is the best shooting group I’ve coached but they don’t believe in themselves yet so we’re still getting there,” Hoogendoorn said. “We talked pregame, I told them I had faith they could go to the state tournament, but part of getting there is working hard and developing instead of getting negative when things don’t go our way.”
La Grange 58, Schulenburg 48
Schulenburg 10 14 10 14 – 48
La Grange 16 7 11 24 – 58
LG scoring: Jonathan Rogers 19, Brandon Scott 15, Jaxon Cooper 7, Caden Cooper 4, Eli Roberts 3, Jordan Scott 2, Alijah Grant 2, Dana Baker 2, Carson Kemp 2, Andrew Bargas 2.
Schulenburg scoring: Kenny King 6, Keisean Johnson 6, Jeremiah Johnson 5, TJ Speed 2, Brett Janecek 11, Alex Lozano 12, Kenny Schramek 4, Manny Herrera 2.
Schulenburg freshmen 41,
La Grange freshmen 31
LG leading scorer: Dillard 9
La Grange JV 47
Schulenburg JV 42
LG leading scorer: Chovanetz