Bulldogs Retain ECNC Tournament Title
In a complete season, the Auburn boys basketball team competes for four possible championships. The first being the Wayne State Holiday tournament, which the Bulldogs won by defeating Winnebago, Wayne, and Pierce. The final two championships of the season are still ahead. That being the District and State Championships. The second championship opportunity for the Bulldogs is the ECNC conference tournament, which the Bulldogs competed in last week.
Last season Auburn defeated Yutan in the conference final to claim its first ECNC conference title. This year the Bulldogs hope to repeat, this time as the top seed for the first time in the ECNC.
Auburn was set to play 8th seed Elmwood-Murdock in the first round of the tournament, but due to an outbreak of COVID on Elmwood-Murdock’s end, the game was cancelled. Auburn, being the higher seed, advanced to the second round to play Johnson County Central.
The 9-6 Thunderbirds defeated Palmyra in the first round and faced Auburn on Friday, February 5 at Southeast Community College in Lincoln.
The Thunderbirds hung with the Bulldogs for much of the first half, including leading most of the first quarter. Auburn was able to tie JCC a few times in the first period, but it wasn’t until the second quarter when the Bulldogs took the lead 13-11 on a driving layup from senior Cade Patzel. Patzel also assisted on two plays that resulted in baskets for the Bulldogs. One of Patzel’s assists was to senior Daniel Frary, who scored 6 of Auburn’s 8 points following Patzel’s layup. The Bulldogs took a 25-16 lead into the halftime break.
Freshman Maverick Binder opened the second half by knocking down a three pointer. Maverick’s cousin Ryan Binder followed Maverick’s three with a basket of his own. The next 20 Bulldog points came quickly from Frary and senior Cam Binder, including a last second three pointer to end the third quarter and give Auburn a 43-19 lead before the final period.
Skyler Roybal, Ryan Dixon, Bret Baltensperger, and Austin Lavigne all scored Auburn points off the bench in the fourth quarter, leading to a 65-3o victory over Johnson County Central in the semifinals of the ECNC conference tournament. The Bulldogs will play the Thunderbirds again on February 19.
After harsh weather conditions on Saturday, February 6 eventually cleared up, Auburn was set to face Freeman for the ECNC conference championship. The two teams had played on December 18 at Auburn High School with the Bulldogs taking the victory 59-23.
This time, the Falcons were playing much better basketball and with a 16-3 record, proved to be a valid threat to the Bulldogs. Senior Cade Patzel continued to stand out against Freeman, knocking down two three-pointers and a driving layup in the first half, leading Auburn in points scored at the halftime break. Patzel’s 8 first half points, combined with a suffocating defensive effort from the Bulldogs, resulted in a 21-13 lead at the break.
That suffocating defense allowed only two Falcon points in the third quarter. Maverick Binder scored 4 points for Auburn in the third. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 31-15 at the end of the third period.
The Falcons tried to bump up the defensive pressure in the fourth, but it was too little, too late, and the Bulldogs outlasted Freeman 41-27 to claim their second straight ECNC conference championship.
Along with the conference championship, the Bulldogs improve to 16-0 before a busy week.
This week for the Bulldogs starts with an away game against Syracuse on Tuesday, February 9. After Syracuse, Auburn faces Lincoln Lutheran on Thursday, February ii. Games will take place at Lincoln Lutheran High School with the junior varsity starting at 5:15 p.m. and the varsity following at 8: o o p.m. On Saturday, February 13 Auburn will compete in the Heartland Hoops Classic against Bancroft-Rosalie/Lyons-Decatur at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island at 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 16, subdistrict matchups are being released by the Nebraska School Activities Association. Auburn remains atop the Class C-1 wildcard point standings. Also in the subdistrict, with records as of Monday, Feb. 8 are: Fairbury 9-9, Falls City 7-11, Syracuse 3-11 and Wilber-Clatonia 9-8.
Points against Johnson County Central
Cam Binder had 20 points for the Bulldogs. Daniel Frary scored 17 points, Skyler Roybal and Ryan Dixon each 6, Maverick Binder 5, Cade Patzel 4, Bret Baltensperger 3, Ryan Binder and Austin Lavigne 2 points apiece.
Points against Freeman
Daniel Frary had 14 points, Cade Patzel 10, Cam Binder 8, Ryan Binder 5 and Maverick Binder 4.