Bucks Best CMVT, Fall to Benton

FARWELL – Bucktail Bucks basketball team is 5-8 after the three games they played last week against some good quality teams at home. They do not call it home court advantage for nothing. You as a team are suppose to play your best on your own court. That is where you practice all the time. Coach Dave Pentz could not have asked for three better games than the way the Bucks played, dispite losing two of the three games. With that home court advantage, you hope to see certain events happen as Senior Chuck Probst last Wednesday joined the 1000 point club.

Last Wednesday, the Bucks played Benton who won the first round in December by 21 points as they had the Bucks down as much as 34 points during the game. But on this night, something special could happen if Probst just plays his game knowing that he only needed 17 points as he was avg. 20 points per game coming in. In the last game, Probst was held to just 13 points as Benton won 62-41. Benton would win this game 55-44 as the Bucks third quarter let down hurt.

The big guy for Benton just owned the middle all night as he had 28 points. For the Bucks, nobody could help Probst and Trent Risley on scoring for the Bucks as Probst scored 7 of the total 10 points in the first quarter as Benton led15-10. In the second quarter, the Bucks went on an 8-0 run before half as they cut it down to a two point game 27-25 Benton.

With the student body counting down Probst’s goal, it was 4 more to go at halftime. With Benton putting away in the third quarter as the Bucks were having a hard time finding the bottom of the net. Probst was driving to the basket and getting fouled. He has a quick first step to drive to the basket ever since the thirteeth game of last year. He was only avg. 16 points a game before that game. When it hit him that he can drive to the basket on most teams, that is when his scoring has been at 20 points per game. So why not go into the club from the foul line as he was shooting two foul shots with 45 seconds left in the third quarter as he scored 999 and then 1000 on the second shot. Probst’s foul shooting has improved greatly this season as he was only shooting 57% over the first three years. This year so far he his shooting 71% (77-109).

Probst had a nice game going into the 1000 point club as he was the Bucks high scorer with 26 points and dished out 3 assits and 7 rebounds. But it was Probst and Risley who combined for 40 of the 44 total points that the Bucks scored. They could not find anybody else with a hot hand this game.

In the JV game, Bucktail found themselves short of a win over Benton as they lose 36-31. The Bucks were shut-out in the second quarter 13-0. Derrick Long scored 10 for the Bucks.

This past Friday after being down 35-25 to Columbia-Montour at hafltime, the Bucks had a great second half to win 70-64 and Probst had a career high scoring with 41 points for a an encore. The Bucks went 21-33 from the foul line as Probst was involved by shooting 15-21 from the charity stripe. In the first quarter, it was a shootout between the teams as CMVT led 18-16 to start the second quarter. This time the Bucks went cold in the second qaurter as CMVT just ran on the Bucks as they won the quarter 19-7. Probst was the only one that could score as he went 5-6 from the foul line.

With CMVT up 35-25 at halftime, Coach Pentz had some strong advise for the Bucks, “start boxing out”. Let Probst drive and if it is not there, dish off to the outside guard. I would say that Seniors Probst and Risley got that message as they combined for 43 of the 45 total points in the second half. Risley scored all 20 of his points in the second half as Probst just kept driving and dishing. CMVT had no defensive answer for Probst’s quick steps. CMVT scored the first four points to start the third quarter before the Bucks went on a 19-6 run to end the quarter as the score was 45-44 CMVT.

It was a battle to the end as the Bucks outscored CMVT 26-19 in the fourth quarter as Risley and Probst had all 26 points combined. Coach Pentz was pleased on the way the Bucks played as a team. Both Ryan Prebble and Ryan Fantaskey play good in the middle as they box out well in the second half. This was not your usual CMVT team. They have some good shooters and moved the ball around well also, Coach Pentz pointed out. I told the boys before the game we are going to have to earn it. The Bucks earn the win and well deserved as they fought hard in the second half.

The JV of Bucktail also had a big second half to win over CMVT 51-40 as the Bucks were down 21-16 at halftime. Bucktail’s Josh Knauff was high scorer of the game as he scored 17 of his total 21 points in the second half of the game.

On Saturday, the Bucks faced the defending District IV champs St. John Neumann as they won 88-58. For Bucktail that is a great feat to score 58 points against the team that St. John has. All five starters for St. John are over six feet tall. Neumann did not score under 20 points a quarter this game and they just beat Muncy the night before 79-70.

In the first quarter, Risley did the damage as he kept the Bucks close by hitting 3 threes in a row as Neumann was 22-18 to start the second quarter. Neumann’s defense kept adjusting on the Bucks key players Risley and Probst as they both scored all their points in the first half. With the score 44-35 Neumann at halftime. The Bucks came out and cut it down to within six points. Just as Neumann adjusted defense on Risley and Probst. Willie Hopkins and Ryan Prebble picked up their game as they both scored 11 points each. This is the first time all season that the Bucks had four players in double digit scoring. Fantaskey had a good day on the boards as he gapped 7 rebounds.

In the JV game, it was all St. John Neumann over the Bucks 72-20. Bucks high scorer Derrick Long 8 points. The Bucks will travel to Millville on Thursday Jan. 23rd for a 6 p.m. tip-off. Then on Saturday for you Bucktail Basketball Fans, it is both the Boys and Girls will play Canton starting at 12:00 PM. Girls JV at noon, Boys JV @ 1:30 p.m., Girls Varsity at 3 p.m. then Boys Varsity at 4:30 p.m. Yes you get to see both of them on Saturday. Come out and support the Bucks on Saturday.

Benton 15 12 14 14-55

Bucks 10 15 6 13-44

Bucks: Trent Risley 6 0-0 14, Willie Hopkins 1 0-0 2, Derrick long 1 0-0 2, Chuck Probst 7 11-14 26, Ryan Prebble 0 0-0 0, Ryan Fantaskey 0 0-0 0, Total: 15 11-14 44

Benton: G. Watson 3 2-5 9, A. Cross 1 0-0 2, N. Covington 2 0-2 4, G. Klock 2 0-0 4, E. Lockard 13 2-4 28, F. Diltz 4 0-0 8, Total: 25 4-11 55

3-Pointers: Bucks 3 (Risley 2, Probst), Benton 1 (Watson)

JV Bucks: T. Schelb 1 0-2 2, T. Riggle 2 0-0 6, D. Long 4 0-0 10, K. Mason 0 0-2 0, M. Intallura 1 0-0 2, J. Knauff 3 0-0 7, T. Bixler 2 0-0 4, Total: 13 0-4 31

CMVT 16 19 10 19-64

Bucks 18 7 19 26-70

Bucks: Trent Risley 7 4-7 20, Willie Hopkins 2 0-0 4, Derrick Long 0 0-1 0, Chuck Probst 13 15-21 41, Josh Knauff 1 0-0 3, Ryan Prebble 0 1-2 1, Ryan Fantaskey 0 1-2 1, Total: 23 21-33 70

CMVT: J. Zumerling 12 6-7 30, W. Shultz 4 1-2 11, D. Larkin 3 2-2 8, L. Pitonyak 1 0-0 2, T. Musselman 2 1-2 5, L. Hayle 1 4-7 6, D. Wisniewski 1 0-0 2, Total: 24 13-18 64

3-Pointers: Bucks 3 (Risley 2, Knauff), CMVT 2 (Shultz 2)

JV Bucks: T> Schelb 2 1-2 6, T. Riggle 2 0-0 5, D. Long 1 1-2 3, K. Mason 2 0-0 4, M. Intallura 2 0-5 4, J. Knauff 8 5-7 21, T. Bixler 3 2-2 8, Total: 20 9-18 51

St. John 22 22 20 24-88

Bucks 18 15 12 13-58

Bucks: Trent risley 6 3-5 18, Willie Hopkins 5 0-0 11, Chuck Probst 3 4-5 10, Josh Knauff 1 2-2 4, Ryran Prebble 5 1-1 11, Ryan Fantaskey 2 0-0 4, Total: 22 10-13 58

St. john: K. Anderson 4 0-0 9, N. Beiter 2 0-2 4, I. Beiter 1 0-0 2, R. Allen 4 2-3 10, C. Forsburg 1 0-0 3, N. Short 6 1-2 13, A. Johnson 10 0-0 20, K. Burkholder 2 0-0 4, L. Larkowski 3 1-1 7, N. Amanze 5 2-3 12, R. Reid 2 0-0 4, Total: 40 6-11 88

3-Pointers: Bucks 4 (Risley 3, Hopkins), St. John 2 (Anderson, Forsburg)

JV Bucks: T. Riggle 3 0-0 6, D. Long 4 0-0 8, K. Mason 1 0-0 2, J. Knauff 0 2-2 2, T. Bixler 1 0-0 2, Total: 9 2-2 20.