Who doesn’t love a classic rivalry matchup? The first of the season for CatchMark SportsNet.. Hart made the short trip south to take on the Shelby Tigers in a high-energy conference clash. This was the first of two matchups between these rivals, with the rematch scheduled for January 28th.
Hart entered the game on a high note, having dismantled a strong Montague squad just before Thanksgiving. Shelby, meanwhile, sought to bounce back from a season-opening loss to Fremont.
Opening the game, the Pirates unleashed an offensive explosion in the first quarter, racking up 27 points while holding Shelby to just 6. The dominance continued into the second quarter, with Hart outscoring Shelby 20-2 in an eight-minute stretch, effectively putting the game out of reach before halftime.
After the game, Hart’s head coach Bronsema reflected on the team’s performance: “I think the guys would say we’re unsatisfied. We like our group. We’ve put a lot of work in, but to be honest, we’re still hungry. There are plenty of things we can clean up.”
Leading the charge for Hart were Miguel Escamilla and Caleb Ackley, who tallied 13 and 12 points, respectively. Coach Bronsema praised Escamilla’s standout game, saying, “This was the best game offensively he’s ever had—not just in practice, but in a game.”
Despite his impressive showing, Miguel Escamilla remained humble when discussing his contributions:
“You know, I didn’t expect to score this much or to lead us in scoring, I guess. I just tried to do everything I possibly could to help the team.”
Looking ahead, Hart (2-0) will aim to extend their winning streak this Friday against Kelloggsville (1-0). Meanwhile, Shelby (0-2) hopes to rebound and notch their first win of the season when they take on White Cloud (1-0) the same evening.
Stat Leaders
Shelby
- Miguel Escamilla: 6/8 FG, 13 PTS, 4 REB, 5 STL
- Caleb Ackley: 5-10 FG, 12 PTS, 7 REB, 1 BLK
Hart
- Eli Kelley: 9 PTS
- Griffin Olmstead: 6 PTS
Check out our rivalry media day we did for these two teams here!
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