Balance carries Peetz past Potter-Dix

POTTER — It’s been an up and down season so far for the Peetz Bulldogs, but the naked eyes wouldn’t have known it after Tuesday’s 74-52 victory at Potter-Dix.

Clicking on just about all cylinders, Bill Fiscus’s team improved to 6-9 with the win.

“We haven’t put together back-to-back wins this season,” the Bulldogs coach said. “We had a meeting Monday and talked about getting hot at the right time, because in the Colorado High School tournament — from Class 1A to 5A — you will find two or three teams with losing records in the Final Eight.”

Peetz had balance all over the floor, from the streaky Austin Crane early from the 3-point arc, to the inside presence of 6-foot-5 Jeff Koester and 6-4 Troy Clevenger, who dominated the interior on both ends.

With the Coyotes dead-set on stopping the Bulldogs’ top 3-point shooters in Josh Fiscus and Tom Karnik, Crane came out with guns a-blazing, hitting his first four shots — including three treys — as Peetz built a 20-16 lead after a quarter.

“You can’t go wrong when a guy goes 3-3 in the first quarter,” B. Fiscus said. “Potter was worried about Josh and Tom making 3s. We have four guys who can do it, and you can’t sag against it.”

P-D (6-11) was able to tie the game at 18-all early in the second period, on a Bryant Knigge jump shot and Jake Johnson’s steal and layup.

However, Peetz went on a roll to finish the first half. Casey Barrett, Crane and Karnik each hit 3-pointers, and J. Fiscus and Clevenger each drove for layups to give Peetz a 33-24 halftime lead.

“We were guarding Fiscus and Karnik,” Coyotes coach Chad Miller said, “and when Crane got hot, we decided to put another man out there and sag our two men back.”

P-D had success in the first half with that maneuver, but the game escaped the hosts down the stretch. Clevenger and Koester began to own the inside, altering or blocking shots on defense, and grabbing rebounds on both ends.

“Peetz had numerous second chances in the second half,” Miller said. “We didn’t box out and we didn’t move our feet on defense to where we could shut off the baseline.”

An 10-3 Peetz move early in the third frame — Koester and Clevenger both had a pair of scores around a J. Fiscus steal and layup — produced a 43-28 Bulldogs’ lead.

“Things went from seven points to 15 really quick,” Miller said. “That’s what happens when you give a team two, three chances at their end.”

Peetz enjoyed a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

“Our bigs controlled the boards,” B. Fiscus said. “We controlled the inside and made it easy. I kept telling them we need to finish out games on the defensive end, and tonight they listened.”

Crane ended with 22 points to lead Peetz. Koester had a matching double-double, with 12 points and a dozen rebounds. Clevenger (10 rebounds) and J. Fiscus each scored 11.

“Koester played the game of his life,” B. Fiscus said. “It’s not what you expect of him, but he is capable of playing like he did tonight. He was by far our top player tonight; Jeff’s length ruled defensively inside.”

P-D, playing without Brady Knigge (illness), was led by Bryant Knigge’s 21 points. Freshman Cole Christensen pitched in eight.

Both teams are in action Friday, weather permitting: P-D hosts Pine Bluffs, Wyo., while Peetz goes to Briggsdale (Colo.)

Peetz 74, Potter-Dix 52

PEETZ (6-9)

JFiscus 4 2-2 11, Holtz 0 1-2 1, Barrett 1 0-0 3, TKarnik 3 0-1 7, Clevenger 4 3-9 11, Crane 7 4-4 22, Heller 1 0-0 2, Cox 0 2-4 2, Koester 6 3-3 15. Totals 26 15-25 74

POTTER-DIX (6-11)

Gorsuch 1 0-0 3,Shaw 1 0-0 2, BryKnigge 9 1-2 21, JJohnson 4 0-2 8, LJohnson 1 2-4 4, Magninie 1 0-0 3, Harms 1 1-1 3, Christensen 3 2-5 8. Totals 21 6-14 52

Peetz 20 13 18 23—74

P-D 16 8 15 13—52

3-point goals — Peetz 7 (Crane 4, JFiscus, Barrett, .TKarnik), Potter-Dix 4 (BryKnigge 2, Gorsuch, Magninie). Rebounds — Peetz 37 (Koester 12), Potter-Dix 25 (LJohnson 9). Turnovers — Peetz 13, Potter-Dix 14. Team fouls — Peetz 14, Potter-Dix 18. Fouled out — LJohnson