The Oconto Falls High School boys basketball team was an underdog going into the Bay Conference game with Shawano on Feb. 11. When the Panthers handed the Hawks 25 extra chances — that is 25 turnovers — the mismatch only grew.
Oconto Falls (3-16, 2-13 Bay) lost to Shawano 59-33.
“I picked these guys (Shawano) to be one of the surprise teams in the conference; these guys are good,” Oconto Falls coach Kirk Hirst said. “You don’t beat West De Pere and Seymour and not be good. But it really came down to us taking care of the ball.”
The Panthers were behind 17-7 after the first quarter and 32-11 by halftime. Facing mostly bench players in the second half, Oconto Falls was still outscored 26-22. Fourteen players scored for Shawano (12-8, 10-4 Bay).
Junior center Michael Fifield led Oconto Falls with a game-high 16 points.
“We had some guys play really, really well tonight,” Hirst said. “I thought Mike Fifield had a very good game. Probably one of the best games he’s played all year.”
Jack Lacy, a 6-foot-5 junior forward, led the scoring for the Hawks, getting 13 of his 15 points before halftime.
In junior varsity action, Oconto Falls lost to Shawano 54-49 in overtime.
Oconto Falls (33)
Johnson 0 1-2 1, Brye 0 1-2 1, Curl 1 0-0 2, Koppa 1 1-2 3, Salscheider 1 1-2 3, Brunette 1 0-1 2, Kowalczyk 1 3-4 5, Fifield 6 1-2 16
Shawano (59)
D. Frechette 2 0-0 6, Geenen 2 1-1 5, Kneuppel 1 0-0 2, Sleeper 1 0-0 2, Raddant 1 0-0 2, Wilber 1 0-2 2, Sousek 2 0-1 4, Schlise 3 0-2 7, Mueller 1 0-0 2, Lacy 6 0-0 15, Quinn 1 1-2 3, Hintz 1 0-0 2, A. Frechette 1 0-0 2, Gueths 2 1-1 5
Oconto Falls 7 4 9 13 — 33
Shawano 17 15 17 10 — 59
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