Back-to-back games can take a toll on a high school basketball team.

Take the Wittenberg-Birnamwood Chargers, for example. The Chargers hosted Shawano on Dec. 22, headed to Clintonville the following day and ended up with a pair of hard-fought nonconference wins.

One day after handing Shawano a 57-56 loss, the Chargers improved to 7-0 with a 59-51 nonconference win over the Truckers.

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Bay Area 3, De Pere 1

Bay Area Storm won its first Fox River Classic Conference game of the season, a 3-1 decision over De Pere on Dec. 23.

Henry Laurent scored at 10:16 in the first period with assists from Tyler Wempe and Aiden Buchan.

There was a time when things were not looking good for the Shawano boys basketball team in its nonconference matchup with Wittenberg-Birnamwood.

The Chargers had used a 10-2 run to take a 38-28 lead over the Hawks early in the second half. Shawano chipped away at the lead and cut the deficit to a single point twice in the final three minutes but ended up on the short end of a 57-56 final score Dec. 22 on the Chargers’ home court.

We have Al Capone, John Dillinger and other bootlegging-era gangsters to thank for a federal gun law that also made it harder for shooters and hunters to protect our precious hearing.

That law is rapidly changing and could add a piece of equipment to our shooting bags and hunting rifles that will forever alter the ear-damaging gunshots heard at shooting ranges and deer woods.

Monday, Dec. 22

Wittenberg-Birnamwood 70, Medford 30

Strong play by the Chargers put them firmly in control early on, and Wittenberg-Birnamwood went on to beat Medford 70-30.

“This was a great win before break,” coach Nick Mechelke said. “This was a top down team win tonight. It was a physical game, and we played through it.”

Monday, Dec. 22

Marion 52, Gillett 41

Sawyer Kamba and Shane Blum each scored 12 points, and Elijah Scheef added 10 as Marion defeated Gillett 52-41.

The Mustangs led 28-14 at the half and held on for the win despite a 27-24 second half in favor of the Tigers.

Bradyn Wendorff led Gillett with 11 points.

Oconto Falls 88, Green Bay Southwest 55