 01/10/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
STEELEVILLE - For the first half of their road game at Steeleville
on Wednesday night, Coach Maverick Taylor's Carlyle Indians were
struggling offensively.
The
Tribe committed nine turnovers and were letting the Warriors
hang around as they only managed a 23-17 halftime advantage.
But
a big third quarter effort on both ends of the floor got the
Indians going, especially from the outside.
Steeleville
mentor Aaron Fiene, knowing that the Carlyle guards like to
drive to the basket, instructed his squad to defend the paint.
This
strategy backfired as the Indians combined to hit nine 3-pointers,
three of which came in the crucial third quarter run, as Carlyle
pulled away for a 65-44 road triumph.
With
the win, Coach Taylor's team is now 15-3 on the season for the
first year head coach.
Steeleville
is now 9-8 on the season.
“When
you play a team like that you try to take away their easiest
option, which we believe is in the paint. They get to the rim
really well and they're athletic,” said Coach Fiene. “You
have to give them credit they hit big shots, especially in the
third quarter.”
Carlyle
was led by 6-5 senior guard Rhettick Steinkamp with 25-points,
including four 3-pointers.
Six-three
senior Josh Vonder Haar added 11-points.
Junior
Jacob Ruscher added three 3-pointers for nine-points as eight
different players scored for Carlyle.
Matthew
Guthrie, a 6-7 junior, netted eight-points and grabbed eight-rebounds
for the Indians.
The
Warriors got a game-high 27-points from 6-2 junior Canon Ruby
in defeat.
Six-three
junior Hayden Steinberg (eight) and 6-0 sophomore Nate Witthoft
(seven) added points for Steeleville.
Carlyle
led early 7-2 with a 3-pointer by Ruscher, a drive for a basket
by Steinkamp and a steal and fast break by Guthrie.
However
the Warriors responded with Ruby scoring eight-points in the
quarter.
His
back door lay in off of a pass by Sternberg cut the Carlyle
lead to just 9-8 at the first horn.
Ruby
scored five more points in the second quarter and his 3-pointer
from the top of the key tied the game at 13-13 with 5:56 to
go before the half.
Carlyle
closed the half with a couple of baskets.
Reserve
sophomore guard Brady Gustafson had a hand in both scores; hitting
a 3-pointer from the right corner and then making a steal on
the next possession.
The
5-8 backcourt reserve then fed Guthrie on a fast break score
to close the half at 23-17 Tribe.
Hitting
on 6-of-9 shots from the floor in the second quarter was an
omen of things to come in the second half for Carlyle.
Three
consecutive 3-pointers, two by Steinkamp and the other by Ruscher,
got the Indians some breathing room.
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