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St. John's-Tipton Sweeps Natoma

KRSL GOW Basketball
KRSL GOW Basketball

NATOMA-Jaret Eitzmann scored 25 points on the strength of six three-pointers as the St. John's-Tipton Blujays outlasted Natoma 59-56 in Northern Plains League Boys Basketball action Friday evening at Tiger Gymnasium.

St. John's-Tipton also claimed the Girls game 55-21 earlier Friday.

In the Girls contest, St. John's-Tipton bolted out to a 10-2 lead after the first quarter before the Lady Tigers pulled closer in the second quarter and were within six points before the Lady Jays settled for a 21-12 advantage at intermission.  In the third quarter, St. John's-Tipton overwhelmed Natoma with their press and outscored the Lady Tigers 25-7 to lead 46-17 and cruised to the win in the fourth quarter with the final two minutes played with a running clock.

Paige Hollerich led St. John's-Tipton with 13 points while Candyce Engling led all Natoma scorers with eight points while Raylyn Paget added seven.

The Boys game was a re-match of the Sub-State Championship game from March 6 played in Wakefield when St. John's-Tipton captured a dramatic win over the Tigers by a score of 32-29 on an Eitzmann three-pointer in the game's final minute.  The re-match in the season opener was entertaining as advertised.

The Blujays led 11-8 after the first quarter and then held their biggest lead of the game at 22-12 late in second period when the Tigers ended the half on a 10-0 run capped by a three-pointer by Kayden Martinez who scored 12 points during the quarter.  Javon Letsch put Natoma ahead for the first time early in the third quarter with his first basket of the game.  Natoma built up a three-point lead but the Blujays fought back and held a 37-36 edge after three periods.  The Tigers started strong in the fourth quarter for their largest lead at 41-37 but then Eitzmann and the rest of his teammates heated up down the stretch.

A key sequence happened late in the game after Luke Bates missed two free throws for the Blujays but Daniel Eilert rebounded the ball and scored on a jumper.  Still, Natoma had one final chance to tie score and send the game to overtime with 2.7 seconds left when Eitzmann was called for traveling.  However, Eitzmann blocked Martinez' three-point attempt and the Blujays escaped with the win.

Joining Eitzmann in double figures for St. John's-Tipton were Eilert with 14 points and Bates with 12 points.  Martinez led Natoma with 25 points while Derek George added 10.

Natoma (0-1, 0-1 NPL) is next in action at the Castle Rock Classic in Quinter.  The Girls will face Quinter at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 7 while the Boys take on Atwood-Rawlins County at 7:30 p.m. that evening.  St. John's-Tipton (1-0, 1-0 NPL) will play in Russell at the Amos Morris Classic with both teams going up against Plainville on Monday afternoon.