Blue Jays win three of four, including two in OT, to inch closer to .500 mark
COLLEGE SPRINGS — The Villisca Blue Jays inched closer to the .500 mark for the season by winning three of four games last week.
Villisca’s week ended Friday night with a win over South Page, 62-59, in overtime. South Page had a four-point lead in the third quarter, but the Blue Jays were able to force the overtime for the second time during the week.
The Blue Jays turned to their trio of scorers in Travis Herzberg, Damon Sunderman and Max Mauderly, to get the win. Herzberg scored a game-high 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting with five assists.
Sunderman and Mauderly both recorded double-doubles in the South Page win. Sunderman scored 16 points and had a season high 20 rebounds, while Mauderly had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Austin Sorensen was shy of double-digit points as he recorded nine for the night.
Villisca had another overtime win, last Monday against the Red Oak Tigers. Sunderman scored a lay-up as time expired in the fourth quarter to force the overtime.
“The mindset was just remain patient, spread the floor a little bit and if we had any opportunities to get to the basket, then that’s what we were going to try to do,” Villisca Head Coach Jim Obermeier said after the game.
Free throws down the stretch by Herzberg, who finished with 20 points, sealed the deal and gave the Blue Jays the win.
“I had to relax. There was a lot going through my head,” Herzberg said after the game. “I just knew I had to make them.”
Herzberg was one of the focal points for the Red Oak defense, as both guards Danny Carlson and Pete Walker were guarding the junior for much of the night.
“He does a real nice job lately of running the point and making decisions,” Obermeier said about Herzberg. “When he’s got the ball in his hands, typically he can make good things happen.”
Sunderman scored 16 points in the win with seven rebounds, while Mauderly had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.
Villisca also had a win last Tuesday against Clarinda Academy, 52-51. The Blue Jays trailed going into the fourth quarter, but were able to score 23 points during that times to take the lead and win.
Herzberg and Sunderman each recorded 17 points to lead the way for the Blue Jays. Sorensen finished the game with 10 points, as the only other Blue Jay to finish with double-digits.
The only loss for Villisca was last Thursday night against Audubon, 71-48. The difference in the game was the second quarter when Audubon outscored the Blue Jays 24-7.
Herzberg had 19, while Sunderman scored 11 points and was a rebound shy of the double-double.
The Blue Jays are now 8-10 for the season. They’re in action Tuesday night to play the Stanton Vikings.
Friday night, Villisca is on the road to face the Sidney Cowboys.