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| Coach Willie Schlarman's Senior Laden Bluebirds Eek Out 53-49 Win Over Our Mustangs Even Up The Code-Schlarman Series At One Apiece |
| JV's Turn In Top Effort Of The Season Down The JV Bluebirds 45-34 As Hansman, Kramer, and Stortz All Turn In Double Figure Performances Hansman Dominates The Glass |
| In a classic battle between two of Northern Kentucky's top hoops squads, Highlands managed to pull out a 53-49 win over our Mustangs in what former Xavier Head Coach Pete Gillen would have correctly labeled "A Wahhh". Both teams lived up to their billing as being big and physical resulting in much contact, reminiscent of the game that is played on the artifical surface in Highlands' back yard. Every dribble, pass, and shot was contested and the nearer you were to the basket the more punishment was administered by each teams' big men. The paint was not a friendly place to be and not a habitat for the frail or faint-hearted. |
| The Mustangs got things underway by running out to an 11-6 first period advantage but were caught by the Birds at the 6:04 mark in the second period at 12-12. Brossart re-established a 20-16 lead with 1:09 to go in the half on a Kyle Lubbers basket on an assist by Josh Kidney, but again the Birds would battle back to make it a 22-21 game with the Stangs on top at intermission. |
| The second half was more of the same as there were three ties and four lead-changes before the third quarter expired with the Stangs clinging to a 37-36 lead. Highlands would show why they are 19-3 early in the fourth quarter as they mounted a mini-rally which would give them a 42-37 lead with 5:24 to go in the game. This lead would grow to six at 44-38 at the 3:52 mark and then bulge to their biggest lead of the night at 46-38 at the 3:34 mark. The Mustangs battled back, cutting the Birds lead to two at 47-45 with :57 remaining, but a pair of Ben Guidugli free-throws and a breakaway layup by Jeff Vories would give Coach Willie Schlarman and his Birds a hard-earned 53-49 win over his former charges. |
| Kyle Lubbers was a warrior again tonight leading the Stangs with 16 points. Troy Cooper added 13. Jimmy Uebel knocked in 7 poiints , Josh Kidney and Brad Seiter contributed 4 each, Adam Franzen 3, and Nathan Mutsch 2. Highlands outscored the Mustangs 12-3 from beyond the arc, while the Mustangs had the upper hand at the charity stripe, connecting on 18 of 24 vs 13 of 22 for the Birds. Highlands improves to 19-3, while the Mustangs fall to 15-7. They were led by Jeff Vories with 18, Ben Guidugli with 13 and the sophomore Nic Simons with 10. Box Score: Kidney 1-0-2/2-4, Seiter 2-0-0/0-4, Franzen 1-0-1/-3, Lubbers 5-0-6/6-16, Uebel 1-1-2/2-7, Mutsch 0-0-2/2-2, Cooper 4-0-5/8-13 Total Mustangs: 14-1-18/24-49 15-8 1-2 Total Bluebirds: 14-4-13/22-53 19-3 |
| On the eve of the 37th District JV Tournament, our guys put together their top effort of the season, dominating the bigger Bird JVs for twenty-four minutes in notching a 45-34 NKAC Division II Conference road win. Coach Rowe's stratagy of benching his starters the final four minutes of the Mason County game seemed to have the desired effect as our guys came out committed and focused while getting the job done, playing near-flawless basketball. Highlands managed to lead 5-2 at the 2:55 mark in the first period before the Stangs pushd ahead 11-9 after the first period. They maintained the lead thoughout the second period, taking a 21-17 advantage to the locker-room at the half and then ran away and hid in the final two stanzas. Matthew Hansman led all scorers with 12 points and 8 boards and Kyle Kramer and Greg Stortz both contributed double figures with ten apiece. Bryan Niemeyer put up 8, Ben Ridder and Curtis Rooooberg scored two each and Matt Lloyd sunk a free-throw for the now 12-6 Brossart Mustang JVs. Box Score: Lloyd 0-0-1/2-1, Ruberg 0-0-2/2-2, Niemeyer 3-0-2/2-8, Ridder 1-0-0/3-2, Kramer 1-2-2/5-10, Hansman 4-0-4/4-12, Stortz 5-0-0/0-10 Total Mustangs: 14-2-11/18-45 12-6 2-1 Total Bluebirds: 12-2- 4/9-34 |
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| Photos Compliments Of Cooper Digital Photography Tim and Rose Cooper Click On Their Business Card To Go To Their Website |
| Coach Mike Code Photo (Upper Right) Compliments Of The Enquirer |