Wildcat boys handle the Cubs

YATES CENTER — Early foul trouble was not enough to derail Yates Center High’s boys Friday.
The Wildcats were without starting point guard Dalton Smith for extended periods in the first half, because of foul trouble “but everybody else stepped up,” Yates Center head coach Jason Weilert said.
The Wildcats were able to make enough plays on defense, while utilizing a balanced scoring attack to down Humboldt 52-43. Yates Center improves to 5-2. Humboldt falls to 1-6.
“It was a typical Humboldt-Yates Center game, with much of its going back-and-forth,” Weilert said.
Yates Center led 15-12 after one quarter, while Humboldt edged in front 23-22 at the break. Yates Center forged back ahead 39-35 by the end of the third quarter.
“We were able to get the lead in the fourth quarter and they had to foul and we put some distance between us,” Weilert said.
Humboldt head coach David Taylor cited turnovers at inopportune times and a lack of energy early on as troubles for Humboldt.
“We just didn’t have the same energy we had Tuesday (in the Cubs’ first win of the season) and that hurt us,” Taylor said. “We started missing some shots and it snowballed.”
Both teams utilized balanced scoring attacks.
Smith wound up with 15 points to lead Yates Center before fouling out. Jake Morrison added 12 and Paul Stockebrand added 11. Blake Francis added eight. Austin Knoblock pulled down six rebounds.
Tanner McNutt’s 15 points led Humboldt, followed by Noah Thornbrugh’s 13 points, 13 rebounds and a steal. Derrik McCall scored nine points, and Seth Nickell had a steal.
Humboldt came out on top in the junior varsity contest 48-21. Nick Wiltse and Christian Wiltse both scored 10 points to lead the Cub JV. Trevor Chism’s nine paced Yates Center.
Yates Center hosts Waverly on Tuesday. Humboldt resumes play next Friday at home against Cherryvale.
Humboldt (12-11-12-8—43) (FG/3-pt): McNutt 3/3-0-5-15, Whitcomb 1-0-2-2, McCall 0/3-0-1-9, Crawford 0-0-1-0, Johnson 0/1-0-5-3, Wiltse 0-1-2-1, Thornbrugh 5/3-2-13. TOTALS: 9/7-4-18-43.
Yares Center (15-7-17-13—52) (FG/3-pt): Morrison 4-4-2-12, Knoblock 1-2-3-4, Aguirre 1-0-1-2, Francis 1/2-0-1-8, Stockebrand 4-3-3-11, Smith 5/1-2-5-15. TOTALS: 16/3-11-15-52.