Trojans off to slow start in games

By Becky Walz,

Tuesday, January 9, 2024 11:41 am

Thursday’s game slipped through the hands of the Turkey Valley boys’ basketball team (4-6, 3-5 UIC) while Friday, the Trojans engaged in a battle with a rank team, recording two losses in two days.

Overtime loss
A five-point halftime lead wasn’t enough cushion for the Trojans as Riceville (3-7) battled back in the second half to tie the score in regulation and took the 59-57 win in overtime Thursday.
With the score 10-9 after the opening quarter in favor of the Wildcats, Turkey Valley stepped it up in the second to carry a 26-21 lead into halftime. Riceville cut into that lead to three in the third, making it 38-35 as the Trojans fought to maintain control. However, the Wildcats not only took the fourth quarter to force overtime but outlasted the visitors for the two-point victory.
Caleb Kurtenbach poured in 15 points to go with three rebounds to lead the Trojans. Braylen Byrne and Logan Busta put up 10 points apiece with Byrne grabbing nine rebounds and three steals. Busta added seven assists to the stat sheet. JD Kruse was active around the basket pulling down five boards.

Scoring – Caleb Kurtenbach 15; Braylen Byrne 10; Logan Busta 10; Oliver Schmitt 8; JD Kruse 6; Russell Nieman 6; Cale Langreck 6
Rebounds – Byrne 9; Kruse 5; Kurtenbach 3; Nieman 3; Langreck 3; Schmitt 2; Busta 1; Assists – Busta 7; Nieman 2; Schmitt 2; Kurtenbach 1; Byrne 1; Steals – Byrne 3; Schmitt 2; Busta 2; Kurtenbach 1; Kruse 1; Nieman 1; Langreck 1

UIC road game
Friday was yet another battle as the Trojans wrangled with Class 1A No. 8 Kee (12-0, 8-0 UIC) on the road, falling 78-49.
The Hawks set the pace in the first quarter to lead 24-10. Turkey Valley nearly equaled Kee in the second in scoring 16 points but continued to trail 41-26 as the two teams went into the locker rooms. In the third, the Kee defense buckled down on the Trojans, holding the visitors to just eight points and going on top 61-34.
Three Trojan seniors scored in the double figures. Kurtenbach put up 13 points, while Braylen Byrne added 11 and Oliver Schmitt provided 10. Off the rim Russell Nieman and Logan Busta each nabbed six rebounds with Busta and Schmitt added five steals apiece.

Scoring –Kurtenbach 13; Byrne 11; Schmitt 10; Kruse 6; Busta 5; Nieman 2; Aidan Holthaus 2
Rebounds – Nieman 6; Busta 6; Schmitt 3; Kruse 2; Holthaus 2; Langreck 2; Kurtenbach 1; Byrne 1; Assists – Busta 4; Kurtenbach 2; Kruse 2; Schmitt 1; Byrne 1; Steals – Busta 5; Schmitt 5; Nieman 2; Kruse 2; Blocks – Kurtenbach 1; Schmitt 1; Kruse 1

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