Grafton boys sweep rivals in different fashions

By MITCH MAERSCH

Ozaukee Press staff

Rivalry week started with a solid victory for the Grafton High School boys’ basketball team and ended with a bang.

With the game knotted at 78 at home against Cedarburg last Friday, star guard Michael McNabb Jr. deflected a pass. Guard Tommy Lutz gabbed the ball and instantly passed it to a streaking McNabb for a layup with less than two seconds left.

The Bulldogs didn’t have any timeouts, and the clock expired. The Hawks won, 80-78.

Grafton’s student section stormed the court as coach Damon James jumped around and flailed his arms like he won the $2 billion Powerball jackpot.

In an assessment of his coaching career, James said that moment “ranks up there as one of the most exciting.”

The Hawks clawed their way back just to have a chance to win. After falling behind by five points in overtime, McNabb hit two free throws to cut the deficit with less than a minute left.

A full-court press that led to a steal by Bennett Hildebrand, and Jaiye Famakinwa hit a three-pointer from the right wing with 46 seconds left to tie the game at 78.

The Bulldogs called timeout and planned to hold for the last shot when McNabb got a hand on a pass that led to the winning bucket.

“That’s an outstanding way to win it,” James said. “The only way you come back is defensively if you’ve got stops.”

Grafton star sophomore guard Juan Guererro Hernandez Jr. scored 31 points on 13-for-19 shooting, had nine rebounds and four steals.

“He was focused; he was determined to propel us,” James said. “He can do a lot of everything. It’s not just points with him. It’s assists, rebounding and defense.”

McNabb had 24 points on 7-for-15 shooting, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Famakinwa had 15 points and three assists.

For Cedarburg, Logan Zahour had 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting. Aiden Adams had 20 points, Jacob Fries had 14 and Jack Dykstra had 11.

“Give them a lot of credit. We knew coming in they are veteran — they have kids who played last year and have been building toward this now. They are well coached and play hard, and have guys who know how to play with each other,” James said.

The Hawks had a chance to win in regulation but got called for over and back on an inbounds pass. Cedarburg missed a buzzer-beating three-pointer as Hildebrand pressured the shooter, keeping the game tied at 71.

On Dec. 6, the Hawks closed the first half on a 12-2 run against Port Washington,  then started the second half with a 17-7 run in a 76-58 victory.

McNabb had 32 points on 14-for-18 shooting, some on uncontested layups after turnovers, along with eight rebounds.

“That’s one thing that coach preached this year that we changed. Getting the ball up the floor as quickly as possible and beating teams with our speed,” McNabb said.

Guererro Hernandez had 18 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists. Matthew Zabel had eight points and six rebounds.

“We were just trusting each other at practice all week. Just working on our chemistry,” Guererro Hernandez said.

For Port, Kenyon Davis had 21 points. Ryan Burmesch had 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting and Matt Esselmann had 10 points.

The Hawks made sure to hold onto the lead after letting a late 10-point lead slip away against Milwaukee Lutheran on the previous Saturday.

“We’re trying to learn. Every situation will present itself again,” James said.

Hebein said keeping up with Grafton’s athleticism was tough and that a few three-pointers that rimmed out early could have changed the game.

“Defensively in the second half we didn’t get back quick enough,” he said.

“Once you get down like that, we’re trying to scramble in a press, trying to scratch and claw out of a hole.”

He praised Burmesch’s effort.

“He provides relief when teams try to take Kenyon away,” he said.

Port tops Slinger in double overtime

Slinger may have tried to take Davis away, but the Owls failed at home in an 83-74 double-overtime Port win last Friday.

Davis scored a game-high 39 points on 16-for-29 shooting, had 12 rebounds and six assists. Esselmann had 14 second-half points, Kyle Uselding had 11 and Cal Loose had eight points, all in the second overtime.

“Teams know he’s coming and he’s still managed (score),” Hebein said of Davis, who can hit from long and mid-range and drive to the rim.

Port missed a three-fourths shot to win at the end of regulation and missed a long shot that bounced off the rim at the end of the first overtime.

In the second extra stanza, Loose drilled a couple of three-pointers and the Pirates went 7-for-8 on free throws, with some big ones made by Loose and Davis, Hebein said.

The Owls started face guarding Davis, so Esselmann moved to point guard, driving to the basket and kicking out to Loose. Esselmann had 13 rebounds and five assists.

“It was a good win on the road. They had a good student section. It was a fun game,” Hebein said.

Grafton, 3-0 in the North Shore Conference and 3-1 overall, was to host Whitefish Bay on Tuesday, Dec. 13,  play at Nicolet on Friday, Dec. 16 and host West Bend East on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

Port, 1-2 in the NSC and 2-3 overall, was to play at Cedarburg on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at Homestead on Friday, Dec. 16, and host Whitefish Bay on Tuesday, Dec. 20.