By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
The Union Grove High boys basketball team has been searching for that moment where everything clicks.
That moment finally came Tuesday, Feb. 10 when the Broncos knocked off first-place Lake Geneva Badger 71-56 at Union Grove.
Alex Van Dyke led the charge with 24 points, while Grant Beck added 16, and Zach Melendrez chipped 10 to lead Union Grove (7-11, 3-8) to the upset victory.
“This was probably the first complete game we’ve played all season,” Union Grove coach Dave Pettit said. “We have been in just about every game we’ve played, but have been unable to find ways to score late in games, but this game was a different story, and I was proud of the team.”
After the Broncos grabbed a 28-25 halftime lead, they took the game over in the third, outscoring Badger 19-11, en route to a 47-36 lead.
Union Grove maintained its lead throughout the fourth quarter and eventually forced Badger into a mandatory foul situation in the final four minutes of the game.
The Broncos, however, were up for the free throw challenge and finished off the Badgers from the charity stripe.
“I think Alex was 9-10 from the line in the fourth and Jack Pettit went 7-10 to seal the victory,” Pettit said. “Overall we were 28-38 from the foul line on the night to key the victory.”
The clutch free throw shooting was accompanied by stifling Bronco defense that thwarted the Badgers’ talented scoring duo of Jake Berhorst and Lincoln Wieseman most of the game.
“The game plan was to take away the three and make them hit two’s,” Pettit said. “And we did a good job of that, holding Berhorst to just two three-pointers.”
Union Grove’s memorable night certainly overshadows its 53-44 loss at Elkhorn last Friday, Feb. 8.
The Elks took advantage of the Broncos’ lackluster start and opened the game with a 24-9 first quarter charge.
Elkhorn’s offense eventually cooled off in the second quarter, and managed just 9 points, the Broncos could only trim 1 point off their first-quarter deficit and trailed 33-19 at halftime.
Union Grove continued to struggle offensively in the second half, cutting the deficit to 12, 41-29 after three quarters.
The Broncos eventually got the deficit to under 10 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to stop the host Elks, who snuck past Union Grove in the conference standings with the victory.
Grant Beck led the way for Union Grove with eight points, with four other Broncos scoring seven.
The disappointing loss came after a solid 52-47 victory over Shoreland Lutheran Tuesday, Feb. 3.
Alex Van Dyke led the way with 18 points, while Beck added 16 points and seven rebounds, and freshman point guard Jake Pettit chipped in 10.
Pettit, who is the son of head coach Dave Pettit, ignited the Broncos’ quick start with a pair of first half three-pointers.
Union Grove looks to knock off another Southern Lakes Conference contender this week when it hosts the talented Wilmot Panthers Friday.
“We definitely have taken another step in the right direction,” Pettit said. “Hopefully we can keep it going and build off of our victory over Badger.”
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