By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
In seven of their 12 losses this season, the Catholic Central boys basketball team has squandered a lead in the fourth quarter.
Oh, what may have been.
Instead of a losing record and a Midwest Classic Conference basement seat, the Toppers could be riding high if just a few of those games would’ve ended differently.
Questions and speculation can be thrown out until nausea takes over, but the facts tell a better story.
The Toppers registered two straight wins for the first time this season last week, and they happened in back-to-back nights.
Central is now 4-12 overall on the season.
First, at Shoreland Lutheran, which head coach Kyle Scott calls “one of the toughest places to play in our league,” the Toppers hit some huge triples down the stretch to pull out a gutsy 53-47 win.
“It was a huge win for us,” Scott said. “We played a 2-3 zone, and the guys absolutely played their hearts out. The zone suits our team better without Gavin Foote.”
“We may be the smallest school in the league, but we are getting over the mountain of trying to close out games.”
Foote, the senior captain who went down a few weeks back with an ankle injury, was still in a boot Friday night but was walking with ease.
The Toppers were up 14 at halftime, but the Pacers fired back with an 11-0 third-quarter run.
Scott said senior Spencer Wilker controlled the tempo down the stretch, and the Toppers knocked down several crucial shots.
Brandon Vanden Hei stepped up with three 3-pointers.
Ben Heiligenthal led the team with 17 points, including 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, and Aaron Reuber added a season-high 13 points with three assists.
Reuber’s double-digit performance picked up Wilker, who struggled with 1 point, nearly 12 points below his season average.
“Reuber finished with zero turnovers despite Shoreland pressing him the whole game,” Scott said. “He’s a real little dude, but he has the heart of a champion. Aaron’s tough as nails.”
Heiligenthal and Wilker paced the club with eight rebounds each.
Wilker led the way with five assists.
The Toppers host Racine Prairie (7-8, 3-7 MCC) Friday night.
“They are legit,” Scott said of Prairie. “The gauntlet doesn’t stop. We’ll have to play our best to win.”
Catholic Central 46, Greendale Martin Luther 25
Wilker messed around and almost got a triple double Friday night at home.
The senior totaled 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
“It was a total team effort,” Scott said. “The boys fed off Spencer.”
Wilker paced the boys with 15 points, and Vanden Hei added 12.
Scott mentioned the solid work off the bench from Andy Kempken.
“He’s one of our first bigs off the bench,” Scott said. “He’s a huge help for us. He does exactly what we ask every day.”
Racine Lutheran 40, Catholic Central 39
The home Toppers fell victim to another close game Tuesday night at Catholic Central High School.
Central clung to a 31-30 lead after three quarters, but a 10-8 run from Lutheran to close it out was the difference.
Heiligenthal paced the Toppers’ offense with 14 points and four rebounds, and point guard Aaron Reuber tallied 13 points and four assists.
Catholic Central is now 4-13 overall and 3-8 in the Metro Classic Conference.
Kempken provided six points.
Wilker was held to four points but contributed five rebounds and four assists.
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