With apologies to the North Cedar boys’ basketball team, for most of the first quarter, they looked like the Generals playing against the Globetrotters.
Lisbon roared out to a 31-4 lead after one quarter and beat the Knights 76-28 on Friday, Dec. 20, in the Lion’s Den.
“I didn’t think it would go that well,” Lisbon coach Levi Montague said. “But our guys can cause some turnovers early, and came out ready to play.”
Senior forward Daylin Schaefer had enough fast-break dunks that his hand still hurt a little bit after the game.
“My thumb is a little sprained,” Schaefer said. “But it’s my senior year, so might as well live it.”
Schaefer had 10 points on a night where 11 of the 12 Lions that played, scored. Senior Grayson Wollum led the attack with 23 points on 10 of 12 shooting. Jackson Powers had 11 points and Henrik Whitney had nine points off the bench.
Lisbon (4-2) raced out to a 28-0 lead in the first seven minutes. Schaefer had four steals he turned into easy baskets (three he dunked with force).
“We just came out in our zone and jumped passes,” Schaefer said. “That’s the game plan. We know they are going to pass it before they do.”
“The long skip passes shouldn’t be getting by with our speed,” Montague said.
Up 31-4 after one quarter, the Lions started the second quarter on a 12-0 run. It was 62-21 at halftime, and the bench got some extended minutes in the final quarters.
“We want to continue to have our guys play hard, no matter the score,” Montague said. “We can’t take plays off; we can’t create bad habits.”
The Lions had early losses to Bellevue Marquette (67-52) and Regina (74-34). The Defenders were the 1A runners-up last year, and the Regals were a 2A state qualifier.
“We went against some pretty tough teams,” Schaefer said. “We’ll see one of them again. We’ll be alright.
“We’re all learning each other right now. There will be more moments like this, I hope.”
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Lions won at Easton Valley, 57-50. Trailing 25-22 at half, Lisbon won the third quarter 21-9.
Wollum had 22 points and senior Tyler Sauser added 19 points.
“We came out slow and struggled to get into a rhythm,” Montague said.
Lisbon travels to Midland (0-7) on Friday, Jan. 3, to open the post-holiday schedule.
“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” Montague said. “We’re starting to understand what guys can do, can’t do, and putting each other in better situations.”
LISBON 76, NORTH CEDAR 28
North Cedar (28) – Dylan Wachendorf 1-4 0-0 2, Connor Dohmen 0-9 2-4 2, James Traughton 2-9 3-4, Kaden Koth 3-4 2-2 10, Noah Schroeder 3-10 0-2 7, Tyler Driver 0-0 0-0 0, Brayden Balichek 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 9-36 7-12 28.
Lisbon (76) – Tyler Sauser 1-2 1-2 4, Jackson Powers 4-7 0-0 11, Grayson Wollum 10-12 0-0 23, Ian Whittenbaugh 1-3 0-2 2, Daylin Schaefer 5-9 0-0 10, Nathan Ahrendsen 0-1 0-0 0, Dakota Clark 1-5 0-0 2, Devin O’Brien 2-7 0-0 5, Henry Reiling 2-4 0-0 5, Chase McFarlane 1-2 1-2 3, Carew Kamaus 1-2 0-0 2, Henrik Whitney 4-6 0-0 9. Totals 32-60 2-6 76.
North Cedar 4 5 12 7 – 28
Lisbon 31 13 18 14 – 76
3-poing goals – NC 3-15 (Wachendorf 0-2, Dohmen 0-5, Traughton 0-3, Koth 2-2, Schroeder 1-3), Lisbon 10-18 (Sauser 1-2, Powers 3-3, Wollum 3-4, Schaefer 0-1, O’Brien 1-5, Reiling 1-2, Whitney 1-1). Rebounds – NC 19 (Troughton 6), Lisbon 36 (Wollum 5, Whittenbaugh 5, Ahrendsen 5). Turnovers – NC 20, Lisbon 11. Total fouls – NC 6, Lisbon 11.