A week of ups and downs for the Cardinals

It was a win and a loss for the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura boys basketball team last week.  The Cardinals topped Newman, but fell to a tough Forest City team.

GHV 65, Newman 54

The Newman Catholic boys basketball team didn’t have an answer to Garner-Hayfield/Ventura’s one-two punch of Braden Meints and Joel Toppin. The dynamic duo combined for 37 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Cardinals to a 65-54 victory over the Knights at home on Friday, Jan. 17.

“Even though Newman did not have a great conference record (1-6, 4-6) coming into the game, they have played all the conference teams tough,” said Coach Joe Albertson.  “Early on in the game their talented players were knocking down shots, but we responded well.”

The first quarter was tight, with back and forth scoring by each team.  Meints and Toppin hit back-to-back threes to gain a 17-10 lead.  Newman picked up two more for a score of 17-12 at the end of the first quarter.  Sam Cataldo came off the bench in the second quarter and knocked down a couple of interior shots to help the Cardinals garner a 32-23 lead by halftime.

A great defensive effort in the third quarter helped the Cardinals outscore the Knights 16-5 for a 48-28 third quarter lead.

“Jake Wolf played well in the third quarter, hitting some shots and grabbing some boards,” said Albertson.

After building a 20-point lead, the Cardinals fell apart in the fourth quarter, leaving shooters open and recording too many turnovers.  The Knights brought the score to within six, 43-49, before the starters came back in and retook control of the game for the final 65-54.

Wolf put up nine points and recorded nine rebounds.  Spencer Shaw had eight points and Holden Hutcheson had six points.  Cataldo contributed four points.  Logan Ryerson had seven rebounds and one point.

Toppin led the team in assists with six.  Collecting two steals apiece were Meints, Toppin and Hutcheson.  Luke Wolf had one blocked shot and one assist.

  The win moved the Cardinal’s record to 4-2, 7-4.  

Forest City 69, GHV 57

The weather may have been cold, but there were some hot hands in Garner Monday night when the Cardinals hosted Forest City.  Behind the three-point arc was the place to be, as the teams combined for a total of 18 three-point shots.

  Forest City hit two treys early in the game to jump to a 12-6 lead before the Cardinals made one of their own.  The first quarter ended with the Indians taking a 15-11 lead.  The Indians hit five three-pointers in the second quarter to command a 36-18 lead by halftime.

“Forest City got off to a great start and we were playing in a panic to catch up,” said Coach Joe Albertson.  “They did a nice job executing on offense, and we gave them too much room.” - Read More Via e-Edition