Boys basketball: Webster Area uses hot-shooting performance to roll past Roncalli
Webster Area used a strong offensive performance, shooting better than 50% from the field to down the Aberdeen Roncalli Cavaliers 68-39.
In the first quarter, the game remained close and Roncalli (3-7) led by four heading into the second quarter.
That's where things started to swing in Webster Area's favor and at one point the Bearcats (2-7) went on a 19-2 run in the second quarter.
"We are streaky, I'll say that. We started the season not shooting well, but as the season has gone on, we went from quarter-to-quarter kind of shooting well one quarter. We can shoot the ball, we just aren't very consistent, so this happened to be a night where (we shot well)," Webster Area Head Coach Jared Vergeldt said.
Defensively, the Bearcats also switched to a zone-trapping offense in the second quarter. That made things difficult for Roncalli and led to some turnovers – which Webster Area capitalized on.
"When they switched up to the zone ... It's a coaching flaw where we just didn't put in the practice plan lately, and that's on us. Because we couldn't find ways to get the ball inside, and we weren't shooting well and when you can't shoot well, you need to find a way to get the ball in," Roncalli Head Coach Dan Gallagher said. "But, (you) live and learn from that."
Headed into the halftime break it was a 14-point game. It wouldn't get any closer from there. In the third quarter, Webster Area came out hot and outscored Roncalli 25-6.
"Instead of praising them at halftime, I kind of got after them. (I) picked on the things they weren't doing very well, a couple missed rebounds, a couple missed executions on offense. And so I just kind of said '(It's) 0-0, I don't care what everybody thinks, you finish this game off the right way. Instead of backing off, let's put the pedal down a little bit.' And so that's how we kind of came out and they executed well and did a good job in (the) second half," Vergeldt said.
Webster Area was led by Jayden Keller, who had a game-high 30 points for the Bearcats, connecting on five three-pointers. After the game, Gallagher drew comparisons from Keller to Roncalli's Maddox May.
"We love having Maddox May on the team and he's a freak athlete as well, but we're not used to going up against another Maddox May or someone who's as fast or quicker and can jump as high. He's a talented player and he gave us fits everywhere on the court tonight," Gallagher said.
Gallagher also said that early in the game, he felt they relied too much on help defense against Keller, which opened the door for offensive production from Jacob Pereboom, who had 20 points for the Bearcats.
"I think our penetration, Jayden Keller getting in, made the defense collapse and they couldn't handle (Keller) inside, that led to kick-outs which we had some nice open looks and made them tonight, which obviously is great," Vergeldt said.
For Roncalli, Keegan Stewart led the way offensively connecting on three three-pointers for nine points. Zee Mounga added eight, while Madox Miller and Jayden Munroe both had seven points.
Up next, the Cavaliers will look to snap their four-game losing streak and will travel to take on Hamlin on Jan. 25, with tip slated for 8 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Aberdeen Roncalli Webster Bobcats boys basketball sd high school
