Wildcats run past Atchison on road

Written by Andy Brown

Wednesday, 07 January 2009 09:00

ATCHISON — Both the Louisburg and Atchison boys’ basketball teams had the same idea.

Both teams wanted to press and get the ball up and down the floor at a fast pace. The only difference, however, was the Wildcats had the man-power to get it done.

David Embers flies past an Atchison player Monday on the road during an 80-63 Louisburg victory. The Wildcat sophomore was one of four Louisburg players to score in double figures.

David Embers flies past an Atchison player Monday on the road during an 80-63 Louisburg victory. The Wildcat sophomore was one of four Louisburg players to score in double figures.

After a close first half, Louisburg took advantage of the tired Atchison team on the road Monday. The Wildcats used a big third quarter run and ran away with a 80-63 victory to start the new year.

“Our game plan coming in was to wear them down,” Louisburg coach Jim Dillon said. “We just kept throwing different guys at them, and they were pretty tired there in the second half. I thought we played pretty well.”

Atchison, which had a one-point lead midway through the second quarter, started to wear down, and the Wildcat pass came through. Louisburg ended the first half with a 13-3 run and took a 40-31 lead.

The Wildcats equaled their performance in the second half and took control of the game for good in the third quarter with an 8-2 run and built a 15-point lead. Louisburg ballooned its lead to 19 late in the third.

“The end of the second quarter and the whole third quarter I thought we played well and wore them down a little,” Dillon said. “I think our press caused them some problems and forced them to take quick shots, and we took advantage.”

Louisburg (5-1) could have reached the century mark had it made a few more free throws. The Wildcats shot just 14 for 32 for the free throw line.

“The one thing that did disappoint me was the free throws,” Dillon said. “That is just not a good number, and we have to do a much better job at that or it will come back to bite us later. But the good thing is we can get better at it.”

In what was a game of runs, the Wildcats received consistent play from senior forwards Kyle Nauman and Ryan Dvorak. Nauman led Louisburg with 24 points and Dvorak finished with 10, including several big baskets in the first half.

Sophomores Kody Cook and David Embers finished with 16 and 11 points, respectively, to help with the balanced Louisburg scoring.

“I thought Kyle and Ryan played their best game of the year, collectively,” Dillon said. “They both did a good job of controlling the boards and hopefully they can continue that the rest of the season.”

The season doesn’t get any easier for Louisburg when it hosts Gardner-Edgerton on Friday to open Frontier League play. The Blazers are one of the top teams in the league, and Dillon knows his team will have its hands full.

With inexperience still haunting Louisburg at times, Dillon knows this game will be a good measuring stick for his team.

“It is important for us as far as league goes, but it is not a killer for us if we lose,” Dillon said. “I think this will be a good game for us to see where we are at. We are still a young team as far as varsity experience and I still don’t know who will step up for game to game or practice to practice. But we are getting better and I am excited about Friday.”

Louisburg 21 19 19 21 — 80
Atchison 15 16 16 16 — 63
Louisburg (5-1): Kyle Nauman 24, Kody Cook 16, David Embers 11, Ryan Dvorak 10, Drew Kershner 9, Garrett Griffin 6, Drew Harding 4.

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