Chucks/Lady Chucks win Tip-Off Tourneys and start season at 2-0 over weekend
PUNXSUTAWNEY — Both the Punxsutawney Chucks and Lady Chucks Basketball teams opened the 2023/2024 season over the weekend by winning their respective Tip-Off Tournaments to stand at 2-0 so far in the season.
On Saturday, the Lady Chucks beat the hosting Lady Rovers 43-12 to win the Brockway Tip-Off Tournament after beating Karns City 44-19 the previous evening.
The Lady Chucks Emily McMahan hit a threepointer around 30 seconds into the game, and by the end of the first quarter, Punxsy was up 12-0 after McMahan hit another three and fellow senior Danielle Griebel hit one as well.
Early on in the second quarter, Griebel and Olivia Burkett both hit three pointers to put Punxsy up 18-0 a minute in the quarter.
Though Brockway finally got on the board before halftime, the Lady Chucks’ Emily Dobbins hit two three pointers with under three minutes to go in the quarter to see Punxsy go into the break up 28-2.
In the third quarter, Dobbins hit two more threes, while Griebel put in five points and Riley Doverspike put in a lay-up to see Punxsy up 41-10 going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter,
Doverspike put in two more points as the Lady Chucks went on to win 43-12.
“It was a slow start in both games over the weekend, but then they started hitting shots and loosening up the zone a little bit,” said Lady Chucks Head Coach Mike Carlson. “It wasn’t our best, but we’re happy to come out with some wins.”
He added, “Dobbins was a wildcard before the start of the season, and when she starts shooting, it’s a great stroke, and Natalie Burkett got good experience. It was nice to get her playing the point and getting Varsity experience.”
Dobbins scored 14 points and had three steals, while Griebel put in 13 points, had four assists, grabbed seven rebounds and had four steals. McMahan scored six points and had two steals, while Doverspike pitched in four points and had two steals.
Burkett hit a three and grabbed two rebounds, while sister Natalie scored two points and had five steals. Avary Powell also hit a free throw and lead with 10 rebounds, while also having three assists.
In the in evening game on Saturday, the Chucks beat the host school 51-21 to win the Indiana Tip-Off Tournament after beating Geibel Catholic 76-31 the previous evening.
Though the first quarter was close, with Punxsy going into the second quarter up 12-9, the Chucks eventually broke ahead in the later quarters to keep the lead, like going into halftime up 32-13.
In the first quarter, sophomore Beau Thomas scored four points, while both Noah Kengersky and Cooper Hallman hit threepointers. In the second quarter, Noah Weaver hit a three, while both Kengersky and Jimmie Neese had two three-pointers.
The third quarter saw Weaver hit another three, while Thomas scored seven points including a last minute three-pointer. Weaver also hit a three in the fourth quarter, as the Chucks went on to win 51-21.
“We played super tonight,” said Chucks Head Coach Randy Reitz. “On the defensive end, the rotation, the ball pressure and rebounding was tremendous. And, we moved the ball on offense a lot to get some good looks and penetrated while.”
He added, “It was a nice way to start the season, while continuing to build off this weekend.”
Thomas scored 13 points for the Chucks, while both Weaver and Neese scored 10 points apiece. Kengersky put in nine points, Hallman scored six and Mason Nesbitt added in two.
In JV action for the Lady Chucks on Friday, Punxsy lost 29-24 to Karns
City. Ella White scored 12 points for Punxsy, while Caleigh Smelko, Addie Lewis and Camryn Hall all scored four points apiece.
The Chucks fell 62-46 to Indiana in JV action on Friday, with Punxsy’s Evan Presloid scoring 24 points and Porter Wood scored nine. Also, A.J. Hewitt scored six points, while Griffin White hit a threepointer. Plus, Abe Santos and Brody Stouffer scored two points apiece.