Boys Varsity Basketball vs Fowlerville
5:30pm – January 24, 2025
Callie Morrison – SJHS Junior

The St. John’s boys varsity basketball team hosted the Fowlerville Gladiators.

#23 Aidan Wirth was up for the tip, and it went to the gladiators first. A shot was taken but missed, the Redwings have the ball. The Gladiators made the first point followed by a 3-pointer by #3 Titus Konieczny, the score is 3-2. The gladiators #3 fouled #22 Bryce Pratl, the ball was passed it by Pratl, and #12 Conner Kurncz made the layup for the score 5-2. Pratl was fouled, shooting one free throw to make the game 10-5. Pratl dribbled into the paint making his layup. The gladiators over shot a pass and it was back to the redwings. Wirth was fouled in the paint. He shot two making one, the score is 13-5, the Redwings holding the lead. #15 for the Gladiators was fouled on their possession, he shot two making one. The Gladiators drove down the court finishing with a layup, making the score 14-7 with a little over two minutes left in the quarter.  Pratl had the teams first foul in the game with the Gladiators receiving the ball. Gladiators #50
was fouled, he shot one free throw and missed. 28 seconds left in the quarter and the opponent has the ball, they shoot a three but miss, they follow up with the rebound and get the basket. The quarter ended with St. John’s 14, the Gladiators 11.

The Redwings #2 Lucas McCastle passed the ball in to start the second quarter. The Gladiators got the ball and scored the first point of the second quarter, they are now following closely behind with 14-13. Pratl shot a three with five minutes left in the quarter. The Gladiators were quick to counterattack and shot a three right after. #0 Miles Jones had a nice pass to Wirth right under the basket, but a defender kept him from scoring. The score remains 17-16. The Gladiators
made a shot and got fouled, shooting one they pulled ahead to make the score 17-19. #50 for the Gladiators shooting two free throws once again. He missed one, giving his team a three point lead, not for long though because Pratl followed up with a layup. Pratl once again had the ball and scored, but the Gladiators followed up once again. At the end of the second quarter the Gladiators take the lead with the Redwings following closely behind 21-22.

The St. John’s High School Dance team made an appearance at half time. They performed to the song they will dance to for the Division 2 competition in Orlando, Florida in a few weeks.

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Kurncz passed the ball in for the Redwings to start the third quarter. They quickly made two
shots, taking the lead 25-22. The Gladiators tied it once more after shooting a three, then took the lead after making two shots, the game is now 25-30. Konieczny shoots a three with nothing but net, and Pratl follows up with another basket, the game is tied again. Once again, another “nothing but net” three by Konieczny, followed up with a three by the Gladiators. Fowlerville called a timeout with 3:30 left in the quarter and the score at 33-33. The Redwings quickly make two shots, but their opponent follows behind again, not letting them get the lead with another basket. The Gladiators make a shot in the paint tying the score, but the Redwings quickly take the lead again. At the end of the third the score is 39-37, both teams working hard to keep that lead.

To start off the fourth quarter, Kurncz helped increase the Redwings lead by shooting a three, they are now up by five. With 5:58 left in the quarter, Fowlerville called a full timeout, and the Redwings received the ball. With the score 42-39 after a shot by the Gladiators, #1 Hunter Kinkema shot two free throws, making one. Wirth kept the ball in bounds with quick reflexes, and the Redwings took possession once again. St. John’s called a timeout with 3:26 left and the score 43-41, after the Gladiators drove down the middle of the paint for a layup. Another timeout
by the Redwings with 2:31 left in the final quarter and the score 45-41 after a shot by #1.
Fowlerville called a time out at 1:40, after making a basket. Kurncz made a nice pass to Wirth down in the paint and he made the shot. Kurncz was then fouled shooting two, he made both, the score is 49-43. The Gladiators made a layup and shot two free throws making one. Pratl is on the free throw line shooting two, he misses both, and the score is 49-46. Fowlerville follows up with another three and the game is tied at 49 with 28 seconds remaining after a time out by the Gladiators. One final timeout with 04.4 seconds left…and the game is going into overtime!

Wirth is up for the tip to start the four minute overtime. Kinkema made the first shot…it’s good. Wirth took a hard hit and shot two, he missed both but is still playing hard. Fowlerville called the first timeout with 2:40 left and the game close in score at 51-49. However, a three by the Gladiators helped them take the lead but that was quickly over after Wirth made a basket. It’s 53-52, but it’s tied up once again after a free throw by the Gladiators. St. John’s called its first timeout with 1:15 remaining. Kinkema broke the tie but it was quickly countered with two free
throws made by the opposing team. Wirth was fouled, shooting two with less than 25 seconds
left. St. John’s has the lead by one, 56-55, going into the timeout called by Fowlerville with 19 seconds left. The Gladiators have possession, they were fouled shooting two, the game is tied up once again after he made one. The score is 56-56 with 04.9 left on the clock. St. John’s called a timeout with 03.4 left and they will have the ball. Pratl passes it in to Kurncz and he makes the layup at the last second. St. John’s wins 58-56!

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