COTTONWOOD FALLS— In each quarter of Tuesday night’s game against Chase County, the Council Grove boys basketball team steadily increased its lead on its way to a 59-35 win over the Bulldogs.
The Braves led by six points at the end of the first quarter, by 11 at halftime, 19 at the end of the third quarter and by 24 at the end of the game.
Council Grove had a size advantage, with Brock Frye, listed at 6-5, and Max Byram, listed at 6-4. Frye grabbed eight rebounds for the Braves and Byram had six. Harley Grimmett (6-2) had five rebounds. As a team, the Braves outrebounded the Bulldogs 32-14.
“I liked our energy on both sides,” coach Bruce Hula said. “Attacking the offensive boards and the defensive boards. Our energy was good.”
Chase County made five 3-pointers in the first half, including three by Tyler Mullins in the second quarter. Council Grove was able to withstand Mullins’ spurt and continue to build its lead in the second quarter. Daulton Crawford’s two points were the Bulldogs’ only other scoring in the second quarter.
By contrast, Council Grove had a variety of players get on the board in the second quarter. Byram and Saeger Grafel each scored four points and four different players each scored two for the Braves.
The Bulldogs then made three 3-pointers in the second half as the Braves pulled away further.
“We were feeling confident (at halftime,)” Byram said. “But it was really once that second half started, we started breaking away, that we really felt good.”
Mullins was the game’s leading scorer and the only Bulldog to score more than 10 points. He had 16. Four Braves reached double figures. Byram and Grimmett each had 12 points. Frye and Grafel each scored 10.
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