Turnovers haunt Wildcats in loss to Bonner Springs

Louisburg junior Weston Guetterman gets on the floor for a loose ball Friday during the Wildcats’ game in Bonner Springs.

BONNER SPRINGS – After a pair of wins got the Louisburg boys basketball team back on the right track, the Wildcats stumbled a bit Friday at Bonner Springs.

Louisburg, despite a late second half rally, could not complete the season sweep over Bonner Springs as the Wildcats fell, 61-54, after defeating the Braves earlier this season. It was a loss where several things didn’t go the Wildcats’ way.

“We just have to find some consistency,” Louisburg coach Ty Pfannenstiel said. “Against Spring Hill we were really good defensively, and I think against Eudora we were really good offensively. This time, we were just okay on each end. I didn’t think we were great defensively, especially in the first half. Our plan was to keep them out of the paint and kind of pack in our defense and make them settle for outside jumpers. We struggled early to keep them out of the paint and they had some good looks.

“We have to find some consistency, though, and our record shows that. We might be good for a couple games and then we struggle a little. We struggled a little offensively and settled for too many outside jumpers, especially in the first half.”

The Wildcats, who are currently 8-10 on the season, struggled in the turnover department – which turned out to be to the different in the game. With the game tied at 11 going into the second quarter, Louisburg committed five turnovers that led to fast break points for Bonner Springs.

That allowed the Braves to build a lead it wouldn’t give back. In all, the Wildcats committed 18 turnovers on the night, which led to 25 Bonner Springs points.

“Turnovers hurt us for sure and those led to some run-out layups for them,” Pfannenstiel said. “We came out in a 1-3-1 defense to start the second half, and I think that worked and we did a good job rebounding, but then we would turn the ball over. That puts us down and forced us to get out of our zone, which I thought had a chance to slow them down a little bit.

“When you give up three possessions in a row on easy baskets like that it is tough. You can’t fault our defense there, it was those turnovers that led to their offense. You aren’t going to win many games if you turn the ball over that many times.”

Despite all that, the Wildcats were able to make one final run at the Braves early in the fourth quarter.

Senior Michael Waldron and sophomore Julian Margrave hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Bonner lead to three. Junior Ben Guetterman then got a steal and a score to trim the Braves’ lead to 51-50.

Bonner Springs, however, would go on a 9-0 run to extend the lead back to 10 points and the Wildcats weren’t able to recover.

Margrave and senior Garrett Rolofson each had a double-double to lead the Wildcats. Margrave finished with a team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Rolofson added 11 points and 10 boards.

Guetterman also finished in double figures with 15 points. Junior Weston Guetterman had a team-high seven assists to go along with six rebounds.

“We were able to make a run there to get back in it and I was proud of the guys for that,” Pfannenstiel said. “I thought maybe we had turned the corner, but that is how basketball goes sometimes. We will do what we can to get a little more consistent because that is what it is going to take to make a run here.”

Louisburg returns to action tonight when it hosts Metro Academy in its final home game of the season. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

LOU               11           15           16           12 – 54

BON              11           21           16           13 – 61

LOUISBURG (8-10): Julian Margrave 6-14 3-4 17; Ben Guetterman 6-19 1-3 15; Garrett Rolofson 4-8 3-3 11; Michael Waldron 2-7 0-0 6; Weston Guetterman 2-10 0-0 5. Totals: 20-58 7-10 54. 3-point field goals: 7, (B. Guetterman 2, Waldron 2, Margrave 2, W. Guetterman 1)

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