(Peru, Neb.) – The visiting 'Cats clawed away for a win over the home-standing 'Cats at Peru State on Saturday as the Baker Wildcats topped the Bobcats 84-75.
With the win, Baker improved to 8-6 overall and are 5-5 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). Peru State fell to 5-9 on the season and are now 4-6 in the Heart.
First Half Action
Paulius Sakinis blocks a shot early in the game.
Sakinis finished with 11 points.
For most of the game, the Bobcats had to fight from behind. Baker scored the first bucket before
Paulius Sakinis (Klaipeda, Lithuania) hit a bucket off an assist from
Justin Neyland (Council Bluffs). Neyland then gave the Bobcats the lead with a bucket of his own to make it 4-2 with 18:47 left in the first 20 minutes. The Wildcats would get a trey to regain the lead, but
B.J. Day (Lincoln) would put Peru State back on top at 6-5 off an assist from Sakinis.
That would be the last lead for the Bobcats at that point in the first half, but the game was knotted up at 19-19 with 11:37 remaining in the half. Baker would lead by as many as nine at 37-28 before the Bobcats would go on a mini-run.
Brandon Eboigbodin (Nashville) would get a bucket in the paint and then
Marley Biyendolo (Melbourne, Australia) would make a pair of free throws to make it 37-32. With 1:35 left, Biyendolo would follow with another bucket and suddenly the Bobcats were within three at 37-34.
Baker would eventually lead 41-36 at halftime.
Second Half Action
With Baker leading 44-38 early in the second half, Peru State would go on a 10-0 run and seemingly had things rolling. Eboigbodin started the run with a bucket in the paint off an assist from
Rashad Brackeen (Oakland, Calif.) at the 18:52 mark.
Matej Delinac (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) would get an assist from Biyendolo and the Bobcats were back within two at 44-42. Eboigbodin would tie it with a bucket in the paint with 16:09 remaining.
Another Eboigbodin hoop, this time on an assist from Delinac, put Peru State in the lead at 46-44. Brackeen would double the lead with a bucket off a turnover and with 14:45 to go, Peru State led 48-44 – their largest lead of the game.
The teams would trade buckets and after the game was tied at 53-53 with 10:47 left, Baker went on a 6-0 run and never trailed after that point. The Wildcats led by as many as ten at 78-68 before a two-pointer from Biyendolo and a trey by Brackeen made it 78-73 with 53 seconds left. But that was as close as Peru State would get as the Wildcats went on to win 84-75.
BAKER GAME BOOK
Team Statistics
Brandon Eboigbodin gets two of his team-
high 14 points. He added 11 rebounds
for a double-double in the loss.
The teams had almost identical field goal shooting percentages as the Wildcats made 25 of 59 field goals for 42.4% and hit 6 of 23 from long range for 26.1%. The big difference in the contest was Baker made 28 of 31 free throw attempts for 90.3%. Peru State made 30 of 70 field goals for 42.9% while connecting on 5 of 20 from behind the arc for 25%. The Bobcats made less than half the trips to the charity stripes than Baker and hit 10 of 14 for 71.4%.
Rebounding was dead even at 36 each. Peru State had 13 assists while Baker finished with ten. The Bobcats blocked seven shots while the Wildcats finished with one. Peru State had seven steals while Baker finished with two.
Individual Statistics
Four Bobcats finished in double figures and were led by Eboigbodin with 14 points on 6 of 11 shooting. Biyendolo and Brackeen each added 13 points while Sakinis contributed 11.
Eboigbodin had a game-high 11 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Brackeen grabbed seven boards while Delinac had five.
Biyendolo dished out four assists while Brackeen finished with three and Sakinis handed out two.
Noah Vasa (Nebraska City) blocked four shots while Sakinis, Day, and Eboigbodin each had one. Eboigbodin had a game-high four steals.
Upcoming Games
Peru State will have two Heart contests on the road this week before playing in the Al Wheeler Activity Center (AWAC) on Saturday.
Monday night will find the 'Cats in Fayette, Mo., to take on Central Methodist at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles are 8-6 overall and are 5-5 in the Heart having dropped their last two league contests.
On Thursday, the Bobcats will be in Kansas City, Mo., to face Avila at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles are 2-12 overall and are 2-8 in conference play with their wins coming over Clarke (Iowa) and Culver-Stockton (Mo.).
Back in the AWAC on Saturday, Jan. 14, Peru State will host league newcomer Mount Mercy of Dubuque, Iowa) at 2 p.m. which is time change as to what is on the printed posters and schedule cards. The Mustangs are 7-6 on the season and are 6-4 in the Heart.
