RAYCE’ING ALONG: Hoepker scores 34 in Cubs’ win

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Sports

December 7, 2016 - 12:00 AM

HUMBOLDT — Rayce Hoepker’s night didn’t get going the way he wanted, but by the end of it, he had 34 points and his Humboldt Cubs had a 70-44 victory over Uniontown in the first round of the Emprise Bank Basketball Tournament hosted at the Humboldt Fieldhouse.
In the game’s early minutes, Hoepker had blown a wide-open layup, committed a sloppy turnover, had his shot blocked and was called for carrying the basketball. The senior — who is adjusting to a completely new starting five around him — appeared to be on his way to a lackluster performance in front of his home crowd.
“He was trying too hard early,” Humboldt coach David Taylor said. “They threw in that box-and-one and we didn’t stay within our game plan early of running him along the baseline and running him off of screens.”
The Cubs and their leader kept fighting though and midway through the first quarter, Hoepker hit a shot to break a 3-3 tie. After a pair of Tucker Hurst free throws, Hoepker rained in a three pointer with a defender closing out on him and just like that he was on and the Cubs were up 10-3.
“It started off with us being able to get out into transition,” Hoepker said. “We found a rhythm and the more rhythm you have the easier the game comes to you.”
The first quarter ended with the Cubs ahead 12-5, but Hoepker increased that lead with a pair of free throws to open the second period.
The Humboldt senior made a tough layup to put the Cubs in front 16-6 and another Hoepker three ball stretched the margin to 19-6 and the rout appeared to be on.
Uniontown was going to dispatched of that easily, however, and battled back to within seven in the closing seconds of the first half with a three-point play from junior Ben George.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, George’s play did not completely end the half and Humboldt threw a long pass down court after they inbounded it and found Hesston Murrow sprinting down the middle of the floor for a buzzer-beating lay-up. Humboldt’s lead was 29-20 at the intermission.
“It was nice to see Hesston get back,” Taylor said. “He is coming back from a broken hand and he still can’t shoot with his shooting hand. He was shooting free throws with his left hand.”
Murrow was 4-of-6 from the foul line.
The Cubs and Eagles exchanged baskets to begin the second half the Humboldt lead stayed around nine or ten for most of the third quarter until the closing minute when the Humboldt parade to the foul line began.
After a Hoepker lay-up stretched the lead to 11, Hoepker hit four-straight from the charity stripe to give Humboldt its largest lead of the game at 50-35 with the fourth quarter just getting underway.
The remainder on the game was largely a series of different Cubs marching to the free throw line as the Cubs’ speed wore down the Eagles and they began to foul more and more the tireder they became.
Hoepker led free throw exploits by going 14-for-16 from the foul line.
“They were playing close on me, so when they do that, I can’t shoot it, but if I just get one step past them I can drew contact and get to the line,” Hoepker said.
Although Hoepker was certainly the ringleader for the Cubs, he had plenty of help from his inexperienced supporting cast on Tuesday night.
Daniels was the team’s second-leading scorer with 10 points. The junior was 4-of-4 from the floor.
“Lance played really well for us last Friday as well,” Taylor said. “Lance and Joe Kline work really well together (at the forward spots). Lance is that bull-in-the-china-shop type player and Joe gets out there a runs and occasionally he gets the ball in his hands running and you think, ‘Oh no, what is going to happen?’ but he made some really nice passes for easy lay-ups.”
Sophomore guard Bo Bigelow is the biggest wildcard of the season for the Cubs. In many ways he is similar to Hoepker with a long wiry frame to go with a smooth jumper, but Taylor has been sure not to raise expectations too high for the sophomore in the early going as he wants to see him build up slowly.
“He is a sophomore,” Taylor said. “He has good energy, but he is going to make sophomore mistakes, but he has good energy and that is the reason he is out there.”
Tuesday was a good night for Bigelow as he scored nine points and made four of his five shots including a three pointer.
“Bo has done well being his role,” Hoepker said. “He is just going to keep getting better.”

JUNIOR VARSITY
The junior varsity Cubs defeated Uniontown 47-23 in the junior varsity portion of the tournament.
Freshman Conor Haviland led the Cub attack with 10 points.

UP NEXT
Humboldt will face Crest in Thursday’s nightcap in the round-robin style tournament. Crest lost 44-25 to Erie on Tuesday. The junior varsity also plays Crest.

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