By Jacob Heid

Sports Writer

STEVENS POINT – With the season in its final month, the No. 8-ranked Pacelli boys’ basketball team came into a game with Menominee Indian on Feb. 2 with plenty of confidence. 

The Cardinals, with Logan Mayer, played into the physicality with aggressiveness.

The junior guard dropped 29 points, five rebounds and three assists in the 93-62 win. 

The game started much closer than the final score reads. 

The game began at a blistering pace, with Mayer opening his night with a transition layup to make it a 3-2 in the first two minutes. 

The early offense was the storyline, with each side answering the other’s buckets. 

It was a 13-11 Menominee Indian lead before junior Andrew Van Order sparked a 10-0 run with a floater. Pacelli took a 21-13 lead with 11:09 left in the first half. 

“This game was a good test. Menominee Indian is very quick and aggressive,” coach John Schurk said. “Our boys fought through the contact and kept our composure. I am proud of this team for how we stick together and battle as one.”

The Eagles crept back within four of the Cardinals late in the first half, but Pacelli’s teamwork put them ahead 43-33 at the break.

Mayer led the charge into the second half, battling hard to start the second. 

Pacelli’s lead dwindled to single digits for most of the opening eight minutes of the second half. 

Mayer continued to tear through the defense, driving freely to the bucket, making it a 61-50 game with 10:42 left. 

He shot 54 percent from the floor on 23 attempts, 22 coming from inside the arc.

“Logan had an amazing night. He was locked in and took advantage of every opportunity,” Schurk said about Mayer’s performance. 

The Cardinals went on a 10-2 run in the next two minutes, which put them up by 19 with roughly eight minutes to go.

Pacelli’s scoring ran deep in this one, with Jaydon Awe, Camden Schurk and Van Order all finishing in double-digits with Mayer. Awe ended the game with 19 points and 12 boards, while Schurk added 16 points on 8-11 shooting. 

Van Order rounded the quartet of double-digit scorers with 15 points.

“I would say it was a great night with lots of contributions. Also, I have to give props to our bench. They came in, and we didn’t lose a beat,” Schurk stated. 

Pacelli remains undefeated with a 9-0 record in the CWC-South as of Feb. 3. 

The Cardinals played Almond-Bancroft on Feb. 9, with their next game being Feb. 16 vs. Wabeno/Laona.