Bearcats lose hard-fought opener against Green Wave

By Trent Jerome, coach
On Thursday, Dec. 1, the KCC Bearcat boys basketball team opened their season at home against the East Grand Forks Green Wave.
The Green Wave struck first with a quick 2-point bucket. Bearcat Braden Faken scored for the Bearcats with a strong drive to the basket. EGF countered quickly and pulled away from the Bearcats going on a 9-0 run thanks to their ability to get transition baskets. KCC fed the ball to their dominant player Kaden Vig in the middle. The Bearcats fought hard in the first half but the quick deficit kept them from crawling back into it and they went into halftime down 27-15.
In the second half, the Bearcats offense struggled while the Green Wave continued a strong transition game off Bearcat turnovers.
Almost midway through the second half, the Green Wave led the contest 36-21. The Bearcats found from senior leader Chisum Schmiedeberg to come back.
Schmiedeberg created baskets by driving hard to the rim and picked up team intensity on defense. KCC fell into a zone that stalled the EGF offense and the Bearcats brought the score to within 5 points. The game remained close until Vig fouled out with around 5 minutes remaining in the contest. After Vig fouled out, the Green Wave hit 3 three-point field goals. EGF won 67-45.

Scoring: Kaden Vig 19, Chisum Schmiedeberg 9, Braden Faken 6, Ty Vig 6, Brandon Ristad 5.