By Jennifer Eisenbart
Sports editor
It wasn’t saying much Tuesday night that the Burlington High School boys basketball team played almost an identical game against Elkhorn that led to a loss against Union Grove last week.
Except, of course, that this time the Demons escaped with a victory.
“It was an exact game that we played last Thursday,” said BHS coach Steve Berezowitz, whose squad posted a 58-53 win over Elkhorn. “We again had a double-digit lead in the third quarter. We didn’t get good offensive possessions.
“This time, we actually came back,” he added. “The positive thing is we’re getting tested, we’re getting battle tested.
“We’ll take it.”
Burlington had a double-digit lead in the third quarter before Elkhorn rallied to take the lead, but the Demons managed to claw back and preserve the win.
There were some positives.
“We had some balanced scoring,” Berezowitz said. “I thought Tim Peterson did a nice job in the second half. He really did a nice job of attacking the basket.”
Peterson led four Demons in double figures with 15 points. Eric Gerber added 12, while Nick Reda and Carson Biedrzycki each had 11.
Red also had six assists and two steals. Ty Dennis pitched in a team-high six rebounds (tied with Biedrzycki) along with six points.
Berezowitz immediately started looking forward.
“We just need to keep plugging away,” the coach said. “We’ll see what we can do with Badger on Friday.”
The Demons host Badger Friday at 7 p.m. and then Waukesha West Saturday 5:45 p.m.
The latter game is the Wall of Fame presentation evening, with three new members being inducted – longtime coach Dennis “Tony” Price, multisport athlete Kerry Steffens, and basketball standout Ed Uhlenhake.
The Union Grove game Feb. 2 could have had lasting implications for the SLC race, but those were tempered somewhat Tuesday night when Waterford soundly beat the Broncos, 68-42.
Berezowitz said his team couldn’t catch a break in the second half, with Union Grove hitting a couple of key baskets and the Demons suddenly being unable to hold onto the ball.
Union Grove took the lead in the fourth quarter, and then never surrendered it again in the 59-54 loss.
“I don’t know what to say,” Berezowitz said. “We’ve had a few of those in the past with Union Grove.
“I thought our kids really played some good minutes,” he added. “They kind of got hot and we kind of went south.”
Grayson Catania hit back-to-back 3-pointers for the Broncos late in the third with BHS leading 36-22. The Broncos continued to inch closer until a 3-pointer from Matt Wolff put the Broncos ahead 42-40.
BHS would not draw even again.
Gerber led the Demons with 23 points, while Peterson added 13. No one else was in double figures for BHS.
Wolff led a trio of Bronco players in double figures with 15, with Brett Van Vreede and Catania adding 14 each.
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