WAVERLY RIDES FAST START TO 66-32 ROUT OF LANSING

By: Tim Birney | Waverly Athletics | January 7, 2022 | Photo courtesy Tim Birney

LANSING — Waverly canned six 3-pointers in the first quarter, and raced out to a 22-point lead en route to a 66-32 win over Lansing here Friday night in IAC Large School crossover boys basketball action.

“This is the team I expected to have this year, and they showed up tonight,” said Waverly coach Lou Judson.

“We came out blazing … on-fire, we had six 3-pointers in the first quarter,” he noted. “We shot the ball really well, and we were connected on the defensive end, and created a lot of havoc there.

“Going up 27-5 at the end of the first quarter, I think just kind of took their spirit away,” added Judson.

The Wolverines improve to 7-3 on the season, while Bobcats fall to 7-3.

“Lansing is a pretty good basketball team … they are honorable mention in the state in Class C,” said Judson.

“We knew going in on their home floor, it wasn’t going to be easy, but we came out with a lot intensity and a lot of energy.

“We played really well tonight … there’s just a different feel to the team these last three or four games,” added Judson. “We’re trending in the right direction.”

Sophomore Joey Tomasso drained a pair of 3-pointers and scored 13 points in the opening stanza, while senior Brennan Traub connected a trio of 3-pointers and scored 11 points. Senior Davis Croft added a 3-pointer as Waverly built a 27-5 lead after the first eight minutes.

Brennan Traub scored six more points and knocked down his fourth 3-pointer in a 12-7 second-spurt that sent the Wolverines into the halftime locker room with a 39-12 lead.

The Wolverines shot 56 percent (15 of 27) from the field in the first half, including 54 percent (7 of 13) from behind the 3-point arc. For the game, Waverly shot 53 percent (25 of 47) from the field, and 50 percent (10 of 20) from behind the arc.

Senior Liam Traub joined the 3-point barrage in the third quarter, knocking down a pair of treys and scoring eight points as Waverly added one point to its advantage and led 50-22 entering the final eight minutes.

Senior Tyler Talada connected on Waverly’s 10th 3-pointer of the game in the fourth quarter, and seven different Wolverines put their name in the scoring column in the final eight minutes, led by senior Declan Murphy’s four points.

Tomasso led Waverly with 19 points and five rebounds, while Brennan Traub had 17 points, including four 3-pointers, three rebounds, and three assists, and Liam Traub had 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot.

Senior Brady Blauvelt had four points, four boards, and two assists in the win, while Murphy scored four points, Croft had five rebounds, and three assists, and junior Isaiah Bretz had four rebounds and three assists.

Waverly returns to action Jan. 15 at S-VE.