Rebels keep pace for a half

Published 12:00 am Friday, December 28, 2001

WELLS – When looking at the brackets of the 2001 United South Central Rebel Classic, you couldn’t help but look forward to a possible championship matchup between the host team and perennial power Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.

Friday, December 28, 2001

WELLS – When looking at the brackets of the 2001 United South Central Rebel Classic, you couldn’t help but look forward to a possible championship matchup between the host team and perennial power Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.

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The meeting will happen. But not in the finals.

The Rebels lost 69-37 to LeCenter while WEM fell 38-32 to Jackson County Central Thursday in USC’s annual boys’ basketball tournament at Wells. USC and WEM play at 6 tonight for third place.

&uot;We weren’t as sharp as we would liked to have been, especially on the defensive end,&uot; said Rebels coach Travis Olson. &uot;We were chasing a lot more instead of anticipating what was going on. Offensively, we had some good looks and just didn’t get the shots to fall.&uot;

The loss, the Rebels’ first since a season-opening setback to Albert Lea, dropped USC’s record to 4-2 while the Wildcats improved to 6-1.

&uot;They’re a good ballclub,&uot; said Olson. &uot;Their only loss is to Mankato Loyola in a game they could have won.&uot;

In the first half, Thursday’s looked like a game either team could win. The lead changed hands several times, with the Rebels trailing 8-7 at the end of the first quarter and 22-17 at halftime. A 19-4 third-quarter run by the Wildcats decided it.

The Rebels were outrebounded 33-22 and went 8-for-13 on free throws while the Wildcats made 16 of 25. USC had 14 turnovers, LeCenter 10.

Jon Beyer led the Rebels with nine points. Cole Iverson scored seven, Trent Ulrich six. Chris Vondracek had seven rebounds, Dusty Niebuhr five.

The tournament’s championship game between LeCenter and Jackson County Central follows tonight’s third-place game between the Rebels and WEM.