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Elks' late surge leaves Delavan-Darien behind

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Elkhorn's Kyle Majewski blocks a shot by Delavan-Darien's Riley Scott on Friday.

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Elkhorn's Cole Hassler battles Delavan-Darien's Justin Fowlkes for a rebound on Friday.

DELAVAN — A lot of first-year starters would feel pretty queasy facing full-court pressure during the fourth quarter of a tight game in the packed gym of their biggest rival.

Not Elkhorn High’s Brock Poggensee.

The junior guard scored 11 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, sparking the defending championElks to a 53-43 win over Delavan-Darien in an entertaining Southern Lakes Conference boys basketball game here on Friday night.

In a game that was played almost exclusively in the halfcourt, it was Poggensee’s two coast-to-coast layups against the Comets’ press, as well as his three-pointer from the top of the key, that were the big baskets in Elkhorn’s 17-4 run to close out the game.

“The way to beat the press and the pressure is just to take it at ‘em,” Poggensee said. “You can’t play scared when you’re out here, especially for a junior.

“You just have to know you can do it, and you have to have the willpower to break through all that pressure and the fans and all that and just make plays.”

Poggensee’s big fourth quarter came on the heels of a bit of a talking-to in the third.

“He didn’t play at all in the third quarter, and we kind of challenged him to step up in the fourth quarter,” Elkhorn coach John Handel said. “He did a good job. He’s a heady kid.”

The inexperienced Elks (3-0, 2-0) return just one starter from last season, but that happens to be 6-foot-11 senior center Skyler O’Laughlin, who had a monster night with 26 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Though the Comets (2-2, 0-1) did a decent job denying O’Laughlin the ball by sagging their defense on him, the rangy big man got to the glass for five offensive boards and several putbacks.

“Skyler really has gotten a lot, lot better this year,” Handel said. “We’re going to have to lean on our halfcourt game and our halfcourt defense.”

Still, Delavan-Darien hung around with a gritty effort, led by junior guard Justin Fowlkes’ 18 points. The Comets took a 39-36 lead with 5:25 left on Garrett Brickner’s three-point play, but they got a tough break shortly after when Riley Scott went down hard on the offensive end.

Tyler Butke, whom Delavan-Darien coach Bob Beighton called his best player, subsequently fouled out on the other end with the Comets minus Scott on the play.

“You tip your hat to John Handel and the Elkhorn Elks,” Beighton said. “They did a nice job tonight, and we played our hearts out. We’ll be ready to see them next time.”

ELKHORN 53, DELAVAN-DARIEN 43

Elkhorn (53)—Bowes, 1-4-7; Poggensee, 4-4-13; O’Laughlin, 11-4-26; Suchy, 1-0-2; Castro, 1-0-2; Majewski, 0-1-1; Cooper, 1-0-2. Totals: 19-13-53.

Delavan-Darien (43)—Fowlkes, 6-2-18; Butke, 2-0-4; Griffin, 1-0-2; Osborne, 1-0-3; Cesarz, 1-1-3; Scott, 1-1-3; Armato, 1-0-3; Brickner, 3-1-7. Totals: 16-5-43.

Elkhorn 16 7 11 19—53

Delavan-Darien 11 9 14 9—43

Three-point goals—Elkhorn 2 (Bowes, Poggensee), Delavan-Darien 6 (Fowlkes 4, Osborne, Armato). Free throws missed—Elkhorn 6, Delavan-Darien 2. Total fouls—Elkhorn 14, Delavan-Darien 18. Fouled out—Butke, Cesarz.