***Kendall Vincent is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
The Flying Geese boys’ basketball team faced a difficult challenge against the United Red Storm, suffering a 64-27 loss in a game where they were unable to recover from a dominant third quarter by the Storm. While the Geese showed some offensive promise in the second quarter, they struggled to maintain momentum and ultimately fell behind as United took control of the game.
In the first quarter, the Geese kept things close but found themselves trailing 14-7 by the end of the frame. Kellan Keane scored a free throw, Kruz Galbraith added 2 points, and Zeb Rashid led the Geese with 4 points.
On the other side, United’s offense was spread out, with Raymond contributing 6 points, Jenks adding 3, Clark adding another 3, and Stewart contributing 2.
The second quarter saw the Geese come to life offensively, putting up 17 points. Keane had a strong quarter with 7 points, while Rashid added 6. Galbraith and Drew Hornback each scored 2 points. Despite a solid offensive push, the Geese were still outscored by the Red Storm, who put up 21 points in the quarter, taking a 35-24 lead into halftime.
However, the third quarter proved to be a turning point. United came out with a renewed defensive intensity, shutting down the Geese completely and outscoring them 21-0 in the period. The Geese were unable to get anything going offensively, as United’s defense stifled every attempt, and the Red Storm turned defense into easy points on the other end. By the end of the third quarter, the Geese found themselves trailing 56-24, with the game essentially out of reach.
In the final quarter, the Geese were able to score just 3 more points. Keane had 1 point, and Gradert added 2. However, the damage had already been done, and United went on to win the game 64-27.
Rashid finished as the team’s top scorer with 10 points, while Keane contributed 9. Despite some bright spots in the second quarter, the Geese were ultimately undone by the Red Storm’s second-half domination, especially in the third quarter.
The Flying Geese boys’ basketball team faced a tough opponent in the Orion Chargers, falling 62-25 in a game that was dominated by the Chargers from the start.
Despite a strong third-quarter push from the Geese, the damage done in the first half was too much to overcome.
The Chargers came out red-hot in the first quarter, scoring an impressive 24 points while holding the Geese to just 9. Zeb Rashid led the way for the Geese with 4 points, while Kellan Keane added 3, and Drew Hornback chipped in 2.
However, Orion’s offense was too efficient, and their defensive pressure left the Geese struggling to find consistent scoring opportunities.
In the second quarter, Orion continued to build on their early success, putting up 19 points while the Geese could only manage 2, which came from Kruz Galbraith. The Chargers’ stifling defense kept the Geese off balance, and by halftime, Orion had built a commanding 43-11 lead.
Despite the large deficit, the Geese showed signs of life in the third quarter. They outscored the Chargers 17-13 in the period, as Rashid, Torres, and Keane combined for 8 of those points. Rashid had 5, Torres added 2, and Keane contributed 1. However, it was clear that the damage from the first half was too great, and the Geese were unable to make a significant dent in Orion’s lead.
The game ended with the Chargers cruising to a 62-25 victory. The Geese struggled to maintain offensive flow throughout the game, with Rashid’s 11 points leading the way as the team’s top scorer.
Keane and Torres added 4 points, while Galbraith, Hornback, and Gradert each chipped in 2.
