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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

BOOKSTORE BASKETBALL XXXVI: Narrowing the field

Frank Kendrick Basketball Camp 21, Team 173 9It was a tale of two halves at Bookstore Court No. 4 as Frank Kendrick Basketball Camp pulled out a win Thursday by using its transition game wisely. Kendrick entered the game prepared to score as many points as it pleased in the short first half. In those 15 minutes, Team 179 was only able to muster three points to Frank Kendrick's 11.However, once the second half rolled along, Team 179 was able to slow the tempo down. Freshman Brendan O' Rourke came up with a pair of steals leading to fast break points. Frank Kendrick senior R.J Kornhaas displayed excellent court vision finding his teammates and classmates Alex Pelkey and Billy Kane.On one play in the second half, Kane drove through the paint, went to a behind-the-back crossover and converted the layup. The next trip down the court, Kane pulled up for a transition jumper and swished it home.Using height advantage, Frank Kendrick controlled the offensive glass, winning second chance opportunities. The team was also able to penetrate and dish the ball to its big men in the post for points. Frank Kendrick sometimes got sloppy with the ball possession, but displayed good team chemistry and strong low post play, helping it thwart a late rally from the team of mostly freshmen.Kornhaas spoke briefly about the team's strategy heading into the game. "We wanted to go out and see our opponents first, and then decide on how to match up against them," he said. "We saw that we had a height advantage so we tried to get the ball inside the post."

Dropping Trout 21, There's A 30% Chance We're Already Playing 8Dropping Trout's size advantage proved crucial Thursday, helping it dominate inside en route to a victory over There's A 30% Chance We're Already Playing.The big man for Dropping Trout, Dave Post, displayed full confidence in Cory McElrath, the team's captain, referring to him as the "fearless leader."McElrath did not disappoint. He led all scorers with eight points, and his high-energy style of play kept Dropping Trout in control the whole way, especially as the second half wore on and fatigue began to set in for both teams.Aggressive play was evident throughout the contest, with several fouls called and loose balls leapt on by multiple players. Post's inside presence led to several blocks and rebounds, and he also contributed four points."We definitely brought the trout," McElrath said.30% Chance's Warren Scott led his team with five points, with all of his baskets coming on off-balance jumpers and acrobatic drives. In the end though, it was not enough to stop the physically dominant Dropping Trout. The victors are now within two wins of reaching their goal: making it to the final 32 teams.

The Air Force 21, The President and His Thugs 2In a fast-paced contest, The Air Force disposed of The President and His Thugs quickly and painlessly Wednesday night.The outcome was never in doubt, but The President and His Thugs, a group of graduate students led by captain Konrad Kulacki, put forth a valiant effort. They seemed confident before the start of the game, but The Air Force, a freshman squad led by captain and floor leader Rich Ybarra, proved to be too much for the opposition to handle.A high-octane offense and several steals by Joe DeMott led to plenty of fast-break opportunities for The Air Force, and those opportunities were not wasted. Scoring was distributed among all five team members, and everyone also contributed suffocating defense, dominant rebounding and jaw dropping passing."We were flying high today," said defensive specialist Nelson Way, who set the tone early with his relentless pressure. "Today is a sad day for America. The President has been assassinated."