By Robert Whitmire

The SPASH boys basketball team dropped its first game this season, losing to Bay Port 66-54 Saturday night at the SPASH Fieldhouse.

The loss drops the Panthers to 4-1 on the season. Bay Port, out of the Fox River Classic Conference improves to 2-1 with the win.

The Panthers held a slim 16-13 lead at the 9:57 mark of the first half before the Pirates went on a 9-0 run to go up 22-16.

Bay Port led 36-27 at the halftime break, then scored a quick seven points to start the second half and opened 43-27. SPASH managed to knock that lead down to seven points when Andrew Erdman hit a 3-pointer with 5:53 remaining. SPASH trailed 52-45 at that point before the Pirates closed out the game with a 14-9 run.

Despite the loss, Panther Coach Scott Anderson had some positive comments on the start to the season.

“We are off to a very nice start….the team continues to work hard and shows steady improvement,” Anderson said. “Drew Blair is playing good basketball and shooting the ball very well; Beau [Rosenthal] is playing well on both ends of the floor and Keon’te Williams is off to a good start.”

Anderson added the team has “leaned on those three kids” but have also seen nice contributions from others including Andrew Erdmann, Brennan Mueller, Logan Lewis, Sam Simmons, Drew Cullen and Max Hofmeister.

The Panthers were led in scoring by Beau Rosenthal with 20 points including many at the free throw line. Andrew Erdman went 4 for 4 from beyond the three-point line to chip in 12 points. SPASH hit 10 two-pointers and 7 three-pointers.

The SPASH Junior Varsity pulled out a 54-50 win led by Evan Vollendorf who lit up the board wity 18 points. SPASH hit 14 two pointers and went 17 of 27 at the charity stripe.

The SPASH boys return to action Tuesday, Dec. 13 at Marshfield as part of a girls/boys basketball doubleheader. JV Panthers play at 4:15 PM, with varsity scheduled to tip off at 7:45 PM at the Marshfield High School Fieldhouse.

SPASH Scoring
Varsity: Beau Rosenthal 20; Drew Blair 8; Andrew Erdman 12; Drew Cullen 6; Brennan Mueller 2; Logan Lewis 2; Keon’te Williams 4.
Junior Varsity: Travis Johnson 7; Brett Ehr 3; Michael Vitt 7; Joe Bergquist 8; Evan Vollendorf 18; Braden Christophersen 2; Darren Zwicker 2; Tom Hatton 2; Elliot Eron 5.