(Atlantic) Connor Bruck scored 19-points, and Michael Heithoff added 13 to lead Harlan passed Atlantic 57-40 in a boy’s high school basketball game at Atlantic on Monday night. This game was the second meeting between these two in seven days. The Cyclones won the first contest 71-41.
Harlan jumped out on an 8-0 run. The Trojans settled in and kept pace with the visitors for the balance of the first quarter with the Cyclones holding a 15-7 advantage. Harlan stepped on the gas and extended the lead to 29-12 at the break. Connor Frame came off the bench and hit back-to-back three’s, and Bruck contributed 8-first half points to lead the Cyclones.
Atlantic re-grouped and made a run at the Cyclones in the third quarter. The home team battled back from a 34-17 deficit and outscored the Cyclones 15-4 to close the gap to 36-32 late in the third period. However, Harlan quickly responded with six straight points to end the quarter with a 40-32 lead. The Cyclones scored four points within five-seconds remaining in the frame. Michael Heithoff knocked one in from close range, and Bruck stole the inbounds pass with one-second on the clock and drained a layup to put his squad up by eight. Harlan finished out the fourth quarter by outscoring the Trojans 13-8 to secure the 57-40 victory.
“Dayton Templeton hit a couple of shots and got us going,” said Atlantic Head Coach Jeff Ebling referring to the Trojans third-quarter comeback. “Skyler Handlos hit one from the corner, and Craig Alan Becker got to the rim on a drive. We put some pressure on their zone defense, which is something we didn’t do a week ago.”
“We knew this was going to be a different game the second time around, that might have been the best we played offensively a week ago at our place, said Harlan Head Coach Mitch Osborn. “Dayton Templeton had a great game for Atlantic tonight. I give them a lot of credit they probed our zone defense. They battled back, and we have to battle each other again next Monday night at Glenwood. Another game-another battle.”
Besides Bruck’s 19 points and Heithoffs 13, Michael Erlmeier scored 9, Will McLaughlin, 8, Connor Frame, 6, and Jonathan Monson chipped in 2.
For Atlantic, Dayton Templeton led the way with 15-points, Grant Sturm and Skyler Handlos each scored 7, Nile Petersen, 5, Craig Alan Becker, 4, and Ethan Williams finished with 2.
“There are some positives to take away from this game just by the way we competed in the third quarter,” said Ebling. “I thought the boys played extremely hard. I told our guys it was 28-28 in the second half, and we were right with them. We need to have a better start and keep grinding it out because it’s always going to be a battle for 32 minutes against Harlan.”
Harlan and Atlantic will match up again in a District quarterfinal game at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, February 24, at Glenwood. Meanwhile, each team has one regular-season game remaining on their schedules. Atlantic travels to Denison on Thursday. The Cyclones host Carroll on the same night.
Click below to listen to the post game interview with Atlantic Head Coach Jeff Ebling.
Click arrow below to listen to the post game interview with Harlan Head Coach Mitch Osborn.
