Lowell offense comes alive in 73-68 win over Boone Grove

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
02-10-2007

Thursday, February 8, 2007 - non-conference game at Lowell

BOONE GROVE (68)  Joe Johnson 4-0-9, Jake Pivarnik 5-0-11, David Mastey 6-0-12, Bryce Palleson 8-7-23, Mark Rosinksi 1-1-3, Nick Eleftheri 2-0-6, Wayland Roach 2-0-4.  TOTALS:  28 (8-14) 68.

LOWELL (73)  Robert Cusic 2-0-5, Aaron Corns 6-0-12, Josh Kuiper 4-5-13, Mike Weiand 8-1-22, Nate Korth 5-0-12, Eli Macis 2-0-5, Jake Bennett 2-0-4, Nate Kerwin 0-0-0, David Weiand 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 29 (6-10) 73.

FREE THROWS:  BOONE (8-14, 57.1%) Palleson 7-9, Rosinski 1-1, Mastey 0-4;  LOWELL (6-10, 60%) Kuiper 5-5, Weiand 1-5.

REBOUNDS:  BOONE (18) Mastey 8,  Rosinski 4,  Roach 2, Pivarnik 2, Palleson, Eleftheri;  LOWELL (19)  Corns 4, Mike Weiand 4, Korth 3, Kerwin 2,  Kuiper 3, Cusic, Macis 2.

ASSISTS:  BOONE (17) Mastey 6, Pivarnik 4, Johnson 3, Eleftheri 2, Roach 2;  LOWELL (25) Kuiper 7, Korth 6, Mike Weiand 4, Cusic 3, Corns 2, Macis 2, Kerwin.

3-GOALS:  BOONE (4) Nick Eleftheri 2, Jake Pivarnik, Joe Johnson;   LOWELL (9) Mike Weiand 5, Nate Korth 2, Eli Macis, Robert Cusic.

LOWELL (2-10-2007) - It was not quite the type of game you want to see three weeks before the playoffs, but it was victory and Lowell doesn't get that many of those.

"A win's a win," said Lowell coach Mike Magley, repeating his traditional post-game comment.  "That's what I always say.  You've just got to take a game at a time and try to get better.  But we're going to have to play more defense than that."

This was a game that didn't tell you much except for the fact that Boone Grove, which has won a lot more than they've lost in recent years (50-22 in the last three full seasons), was down to the .500 mark with three games left.  Meanwhile Lowell (8-8), which has lost a lot more than they've won in recent years (17-46 in the last three full seasons), is up to the .500 mark with four games left.  Remember, this is the Lowell team that hasn't finished above .500 since 1993 and the Devils, with winnable games against Whiting, Wheeler and Kankakee Valley left, can get that done.

"I'm only going to think one game at a time," Magley commented.  "I don't want to think about anything but the next game.  I've done that in the past and I don't want to do it.  That (finishing over .500) is something that's out of our control.  Only the next game is something we can control."

This was a contest won by the better offense and surprisingly, Lowell had that.  While Boone's 6-foot-4 Bryce Palleson, the Porter County Conference (PCC) scoring leader (18.2 ppg.) scored 23 and center David Mastey added 12, the Devils countered with four players in double figures led by 6-foot-3 senior Mike Weiand, who scored 22.

Lowell sank eight three point goals and might have hit 80 points if they hadn't gone to a stall offense in the final three minutes.  It was noteworthy that a Lowell team that averaged 44 points per game in each of the last two seasons, led 56-49 after three quarters.

Boone's Bryce Palleson scored seven in the first quarter and center David Mastey added six in the second quarter as the visitors built a 39-34 halftime lead.  Lowell's Mike Weiand sank three three point baskets in the second quarter and had 15 by halftime as nobody played much defense.

But Lowell was noticeably tighter at the defensive end in the third period and a 15-4 run which included five points and three assists from senior Josh Kuiper boosted Lowell to a 52-45 lead with 2:45 left in the third quarter.  Palleson scored eight in the final quarter, but Red Devil senior Nate Korth scored eight of his 12 in the second half to keep Lowell on top.

In the final moments, Boone did not foul to stop the clock as the Wolves seemingly did not want to extend a very long evening.  The varsity game began at 8 p.m. due to a very long JV contest.

"You don't want to get into a offensive shootout with Boone," Magley said.  "But we were lucky to have a good shooting night."

The Lowell coach insisted that getting back to .500 was no big deal and consecutive wins over Andrean, Morton and Boone were no more important than any other three wins.

"When the draw comes out," said Magley, "nobody's record is going to matter.  The boys may have talked about it, but one win is just like another to me.  We've put ourselves in position to win a lot of games this year.  This was a nice offensive night, but we need a better defensive night."

LOWELL-BOONE NOTES:  Four consecutive losses is the longest losing streak for Boone Grove since 2002.  Boone Grove lost five in a row in 1994, when they lost nine in a row on the way to a 5-16 season.  They have changed their style of play, but the Wolves are allowing 61 points a game, the most since 1995.

No one keeps track, but Lowell's unofficial total of 25 assists might be close to a team record.  Lowell played without Ted Macis, who was ill and not in attendance at the game.  Boone used just seven players and played without regular Nick DiMarco.  Boone Grove defeated Lowell 64-38 last season in what should become a rivalry if they stop playing it on Thursday.

"If it's this week," said Lowell coach Mike Magley, "it'll always be on Thursday.  You could play on Saturday afternoon."

During the girls state tournament sectional week, boys teams give up Friday night for girls' semifinal double-headers.  Nobody has a lot of interest in playing varsity basketball on Saturday afternoon.

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Revised: February 10, 2007 .