The opening game of the of the regular season, the band is rocking the arena, the stands are packed and the game did not disappoint. The Bruins welcomed the 5-8 Douglas Trojans to Bruins Arena Friday night for the first game of the regular season.
The Bruins came out with energy after being on the road since early December, and in what turned out to be a fairly evenly matched contest both teams exchanged jabs early. Defense forced missed shots and turnovers and cold outside shooting kept the score close in the first period and both teams exchanged buckets. The Bruins rode the back of junior guard #2 Austin Fronckowiak in the first as his mid-range jumper was all that was falling for the Bruins early. Fronckowiak scored 5 of the Bruins 7 points in the first period with junior guard Eli Mills #1 adding a basket as the Bruins were outscored by the Trojans 7-9 in the first period.
The second period was much of the same. Both teams running the floor end to end, cold shooting, and holding their own under the basket collecting rebounds. The Trojans spent much of their inside defensive game disrupting the passing lanes keeping the Bruins from running their offense and forcing errant shots. But it would be the Bruins in the second quarter that turned the tables when junior guard Luke Beaman #12 scored in the period getting fouled twice on his way to the hoop and hitting 2 of his 4 free throws. #2 Austin Fronckowiak added another basket and senior forward Jaime Cruz #3 worked hard in the paint scoring once, getting fouled once and going 1 for 2 from the line. The Bruins outscored the Trojans 9-7 in the quarter and the teams went to the locker rooms tied at 16.
As the teams came out in the third, the game plans continued. Disrupting the passing lanes, cold outside shooting and rebounding under their own hoops kept either team from breaking away. The Bruins missed the outside shooting of senior guard Gabe Barneburg #30 who had been shooting the lights out in the Bruins last two outings. Barneburg would go scoreless as the Trojans refused to give him an open shot from the outside. However, the Trojans started getting inside for some easier baskets in the period which opened up easier outside shots as they scored 10 points in the paint getting to the line once and hitting two 3 pointers.
The Bruins spread their shooting out as they got four scorers in the books in the period. Eli Mills #1 hit two mid-range jumpers, #2 Austin Fronckowiak hit a 3 pointer, Luke Beaman #12 hit a layup as Brig Schofield hit a 3 from the outside and a layup off of a turnover. The Trojans would outscore the Bruins in the period 17-13 and lead after three periods 33-30.
The fourth period is when the game got started. Bruins shooters woke up and fueled by the crowd #2 Austin Fronckowiak would hit back to back outside shots, Brig Schofield would go on an eight-point scoring streak and Luke Beaman would get fouled and hit two from the free throw line to put the Bruins up by 2 with 7 seconds left in the game. But the Trojans weren’t done as their guard drove the length of the court and scored as time ran out on the clock leaving the game tied after four periods.
In the extra period, junior center #20 Jon Kleespies and Luke Beaman #12 would take over the game scoring all Bruins 8 points in the overtime period giving the Bruins the 58-51 season-opening win.
When the Wild Coast Compass asked Coach Buell Gonzales Jr. how he felt about the season opener overtime win, he said “We were tough defensively and made plays when it mattered… Luke and Austin played well. Jon and Brig came thru late. The kids competed and had fun.” “We were good enough to win.”
The Bruins will meet up with 8-7 Siuslaw next Tuesday, January 16th at home at 7:30.
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