By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Cody Rincker knew he would need to be patient.
After all, having his team play at a helter-skelter pace at both ends of the floor is not in his comfort zone.
But with this year’s team, he believes it provides the best opportunity to be successful.
Just 10½ minutes into the season, however, his patience was tested.
His team wasn’t being disruptive on defense and the offense wasn’t producing. After a near seven-minute scoring drought, his club was trailing by 11 points.
“Even though we were down, we didn’t change the game plan,” Rincker said. “I felt like our pace would wear them down, so we stuck with the plan.”
And that proved to be the right move.
The St. Anthony Bulldogs kept pressuring on defense and moving the ball quickly on offense. They eventually took the lead late in the third quarter and then made crucial free throws down the stretch to come away with a 50-43 win Monday night in an opening-round game of the St. Anthony Thanksgiving Tournament.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Cody Rincker is entering his 10th year as head coach at St. Anthony High School.
He’s seen a little bit of everything and experienced a considerable amount of success along the way. He has guided the Bulldogs to a state championship, plus six regional titles, including the Patoka Class 1A Regional last year.
But when it comes to his 2022-23 squad, Rincker admits, “I have no idea what to expect.”
“Will we score?”
“Will this pace work for us?”
These are thoughts the veteran coach has been wondering about, but won’t know the answers to until the season officially kicks off.
For Rincker and the Bulldogs, that’s tonight (Monday). St. Anthony will open play in its own Thanksgiving Tournament with a 7:30 p.m. contest against Robinson.
The St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs used a big second quarter to open a double-digit lead and then rolled to a 76-50 victory over Dieterich Tuesday night at home in the season opener.
St. Anthony held a slim 21-20 lead after the first eight minutes, but then went on a 25-6 scoring spree to build a 46-26 advantage at halftime.
The Lady Bulldogs maintained a comfortable lead throughout the second half before ending with the 26-point decision.
St. Anthony had four players in double figures. Nancy Ruholl and Lucy Fearday both finished with 17 points, while Anna Faber added 16 and Stacie Vonderheide chipped in with 12. Ruholl knocked down four three-pointers in the game.
The Lady Bulldogs will play Thursday at Sandoval.
For the second straight game, the St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs placed four players in double figures.
And for the second straight game, the Lady Bulldogs simply overpowered their opponent.
SAHS traveled to Sandoval Thursday night and came home with a convincing 76-33 victory.
Stacie Vonderheide scored eight of her game-high 22 points in the opening eight minutes, as the Lady Bulldogs built a quick double-digit lead, 17-6. By halftime, Vonderheide had 16 points and St. Anthony had a 39-27 edge.
The second half was totally one-sided. Anna Faber pumped in 10 points in the third period, helping the Lady Bulldogs go on a 20-4 scoring spree to open a 59-31 bulge. St. Anthony outscored Sandoval 37-6 over the final two quarters.
Vonderheide finished with 22 points, while Lucy Fearday scored 14, Faber added 12 and Nancy Ruholl chipped in 11.
The Lady Bulldogs, now 2-0, will play next week in the Robinson Thanksgiving Tournament. They will play two games on Friday, Nov. 25 – 10:30 a.m. against Mt. Carmel; and 3 p.m. against Marshall. SAHS will then play two games on Saturday, Nov. 26 – 10:30 a.m. against Fairfield; and 3 p.m. against Robinson.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Scoring droughts are never a good thing.
When they happen early in a game, teams at least have a chance to bounce back.
When they happen at the end of a game, it generally ends badly.
And when that’s the final 3½ minutes of a postseason contest, it can be season-ending.
Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened Tuesday night at The Enlow Center.
The St. Anthony Bulldogs were in good position, owning an eight-point lead with the 3:29 to play. But from that point on, they turned the ball over eight straight possessions and failed to get off a single shot from the floor.
That was the opportunity Tuscola needed. Led by their senior standout, Jalen Quinn, the Warriors rattled off the final 11 points of the game to rally for a 51-48 victory in the first semifinal of the St. Anthony Class 1A Sectional.
St. Anthony led most of the game, and after a jumper by Craig Croy at the 5:48 mark of the final period, had its largest lead of the contest, 44-35. Adam Rudibaugh’s bucket 90 seconds later, kept the margin at nine.
After Jordan Quinn made a three for Tuscola, Kyle Stewart responded by scoring after grabbing a rebound. That came with 3:29 remaining and had the Bulldogs on top 48-40.
“There was still lot of time left and I knew we had to take care of the ball and make free throws,” St. Anthony coach Cody Rincker said. “That’s when they started to trap us and speed us up. We just didn’t take care of the ball well enough.”
Jalen Quinn started the comeback with a basket. He then continued to convert points after Bulldog turnovers. First it was a pair of free throws, then a three-point play and then two more foul shots that put the Warriors ahead, 49-48, with 40 seconds to go. He completed his personal 10-0 run with another free throw with 18 seconds still left.
St. Anthony had an opportunity to tie the game when Croy was fouled and went to the line with nine seconds still showing. He missed the front of a bonus. Stewart grabbed the rebound, but Tuscola’s Colton Musgrave knocked the ball out of his hands.
Musgrove was fouled with four seconds to go. He made just one of his foul shots, but St. Anthony turned the ball over yet again, preventing the opportunity from getting off a shot and securing the victory for the Warriors.
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