I’m proud of how hard our team battled in both games vs. Bloomer.”

Head Coach Dakota Nichols

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Game start for Neillsville is 7:15 p.m., with start time for the game against Wautoma at 7:00 p.m. The winner then goes on to play Arcadia on Friday March 7 at Arcadia, also at 7:00 p.m.

Fighting to a 46-46 tie as the clock ran out Friday, the Orioles fell 54-51 to Bloomer in overtime play.
Orioles Head Coach Dakota Nichols shared more after the results were in.
“I’m proud of how hard our team battled in both games vs. Bloomer,” he said. “We were right there and had opportunities to win, but ultimately fell short. There’s a lot to be learned from our close games with Bloomer and Regis. I truly believe that this team can make a deep run in the playoffs, and maybe we get that rematch with Bloomer. But for now, we are focused on one game at a time. We are excited to get a first round home game vs Wautoma on Tuesday, March 4th.”
Starting out Friday against Bloomer, the seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony, with Logan Gray, Chezny Harris, Carter Isenberger, Storm Tiry, Allesio Venturini, and Jackson Gindt each receiving a basketball after remarks by Coach Nichols.
First points for the Orioles after tip-off went to Gindt, scoring two 2 pointers. Gindt was followed by Logan Gray with three two pointers to bring the score 10-4 Orioles. With Charlie Hoel following Gray with a two pointer and three pointer respectively, the Orioles put another five points on the board, while two free throws by Brenner Myers put the score 17-12 Orioles.
With Hoel and Josiah Demske each contributing in turn, the score stood 23-20 at the half, Relevé Dance Company performing over halftime.
Coming back after the half, the Orioles saw Carter Isenberger make a three pointer, Storm Tiry contributed two points to grow the Orioles lead. With Bloomer answering with points of its own, Gray then scored two points to bring the score a 30-30 tie. Gray then followed with two free throws to pull the Orioles ahead 32-30, before Bloomer answered answered with a three pointer to take a one point lead. Myers responded with a three pointer for the Orioles to bring things 35-33 Orioles, before Bloomer responded with another three pointer of its own to pull ahead 36-35.
Myers netted another three pointer to take a two-point Orioles lead. With Bloomer pulling ahead 40-38, it was time for a timeout, 5:54 left in the half.
Coming out of the timeout Hoel scored a two pointer for the Orioles to bring things even, but Bloomer pulled ahead to bring the score 42-40. Hoel then made two free throws to even the score, while Bloomer answered with two points of its own, the score 44-42 in Bloomer’s favor. Demske chimed in with two points with Bloomer answering in turn, leaving the score 46-44 with 1:21 on the clock. Myers scored two points to bring the score 46-46 as time ran out and the game returned to half court for the tipoff, four minutes put on the clock.
With Myers scoring three points to bring the score 49-48 Orioles, Bloomer pulled ahead with a two pointer to bring the score 50-49 Bloomer. From there on out it was a race to the finish, with Myers making two free throws and Gray contributing a one pointer, the final score 54-51 in Bloomer’s favor.
With the Bloomer game now behind them, the Orioles play Neillsviile Thursday in a varsity crossover game at Stanley-Boyd, followed by a regional against Wautoma Tuesday, March 4 at Stanley-Boyd.
Game start for Neillsville is 7:15 p.m., with start time for the game against Wautoma at 7:00 p.m. The winner then goes on to play Arcadia on Friday March 7 at Arcadia, also at 7:00 p.m.