Game Audio Below:
The Willow Springs Bears took on The Sparta Trojans in their first season Basketball Matchup from The Strafford Invitational Tournament on Tuesday.
A bit of a heartbreaker, Bears led the Trojans by as many as Thirteen in the second half but fall in the matchup by a Final of 62-50
1st Quarter: Tip controlled by the Sparta Trojans. A foul call starts things off on the Willow Bears as they came within spitting distance of forcing Sparta to travel with the ball. Sparta struggles to get an early bucket but no score yet after a series of rebounds. Bears play a man to man defense.
Sparta turns over the ball and early on Bears will take a 2-0 lead with a jump shot from senior Kolby James
A foul call on the next rebound for Junior Willow Bear Brady James as he will shoot and Abel Hume for the Sparta Trojans shoots 1-2 at the line on the call. Score is 2-1.
Another offensive pass by Sparta is no good, rebound Willow Bears.
Pull up jumper by Kolby James is good, Bears now lead 4-1.
Sparta ties it up at four as Abel Hume shoots the first three pointer of the game for the Trojans.
Bears make their first turnover on the next offensive possession. A Trojan foul and Kolby James will shoot two free throws. James makes both free throws, it will be a 4-6 Ballgame.
Bears get a stop following a Sparta Trojan timeout, and this allows senior Holt McGinnis to shoot the first three pointer of the night for the Willow Bears. Bears will take a 10-4 lead
Sparta follows this up with a great putback by Junior, Jase Applegate. Falling down in the paint, Kolby James falls down but banks in another two pointer for the Bears.
Another three for Sparta cuts the Bear lead in half as Sophomore, Ansen Gardner banks one in. Bears lead 12-9.
Bears are somewhat cold at free throw shooting and this doesn’t help things towards the end of the first. A Trojan fall sends Junior Brody Thompson to the line only making one free throw once again. Another fall on Sparta sends Junior Brady Friga to the line, Friga also makes 1-2.
Last shot of the Quarter is good by Holt Mcginnis for The Willow Bears as the lead the Sparta Trojans 16-9 after 1.
2nd Quarter: Bears continue to play heavy man to man defense as the look to score another three pointer. Kaden Lee finally works into the paint as Trojans look to score again for his first three pointer of the Game, Bears lead 19-9 now. But Sparta answers back with another three, off the hands of Hume.
To the Bear advantage, the defense continues to show up as Holt Mcgninnis gets another steal right before they attempt to score again. However, Bears foul just as The Trojans move into a Zone defense.
Bears attack back as Kolby James scores another three as they set the lead back up by eleven. They continue pressure and a pass and baseline jumper by Brady Friga allows the Bears to have their biggest lead of the night by thirteen, 27-14.
Answered back by junior Benjamin Miller for the Sparta Trojans, now 27-16.
The Bears take it back to fifteen with two jumpers by Brady James and Brady Friga.
HALFTIME- Willow Springs Bears: 31/ Sparta Trojans
3rd Quarter: Trojans pull back the Willow Bear lead with an early three pointer by Sophmore, Ansen Gardner.
Bears lose the ball on the next possession, taken back by the Trojans for another three pointer by Senior Trenton Ingle. Bear lead now cut to 31-23. Ball goes back to the bears and James Dean goes open for two as the lead goes back to ten.
Rebound Hume for the Trojans with the third three of the second half of the Trojans and now the Trojans trail by eight.
A timely three for the Bears by Kolby James helps them out, but a foul call will give the ball back to the Trojans as Hume makes two free throws. Sparta will continue to trail by nine,
Bears force a charge call, a big foul on Abel Hume and this will allow Bears to take the ball back.
Wide open shot by Holt Mcginnis, Bears continue to cut the shallow rebounds from Sparta back to nine. Personal foul on Sparta sends Brady Thomposon to the line for a three point play, he makes the free throw line and the Bear lead will be 42-29.
Trenton Ingle with a three is good for Sparta, 42-31. Back to a nine point lead for the Bears.
Bears will have the ball with about 1:40 to go in the quarter after another turnover.
Kolby James puts the ball in with the last second a chance for a three point play, Bears back up by eleven. Kolby makes the play.
Turnover by the Bears and Abel Hume picks up the ball for a very impressive shot. Trojans will take a three point play for the Trojans, cutting the Bear lead to only seven.
Kolby James tries for a three, but cut short at the buzzer. Bears lead 44-37 at the end of three.
4th Quarter: Abel Hume, with an early jumper cuts the Willow Bear lead to five as Sparta looks ahead to possibly steal away or tie the game here.
A foul call and James Dean will have a chance to shoot two for the Willow Bears. Unfortunatly making 0-2.
Rebound Hume and another easy two by Hume, Bear lead now cut to three.
Bears try to take it back but lost again, Hume now cuts it to one as he is hot here in this last few minutes of play for the Sparta Trojans. Bears trail 44-43.
Both Ingle and Hume proving to be the main second half scorers for the Sparta Trojans.
Finally a stop and a foul, Brady Friga goes to the line for the Willow Bears. Friga makes 1-2.
Trojans quickly get the ball down to the baseline. Abel Hume has the ball off a rebound from Trenton Ingle. Hume tries for three but rebound Kolby James for the Willow Bears. Ball goes out of bounds and picked back up by Sparta Trojans.
After a timeout, lead is taken by The Trojans after a three (his second) by Sophomore Ansen Garder. Kolby James answers back for the Bears with a quick layup as they look for a stop, but loose basketball and picked back up by The Sparta Trojans.
Ball put up and in for two by Ingle. Bears loose the ball out of bounds and it will stay Sparta Trojan Basketball as now Abel Hume will make his next three, with the chance to make it at the free throw line.
Bears end up falling back by as many as seven as they are outscored by Sparta for by a Final of 62-50
Bears will head back to Strafford on Friday to take on the Ava Bears. Hear that matchup on Friday night @ 7 on KUKU 100.3 Classic Country.
