Fulton at Carson City-Crystal – – Boys Basketball – – The Bleacher Denizen – – February 3, 2023 – – by Chuck Krafft
Tonight, your Bleacher Denizen has driving to Carson City to watch the Carson City-Crystal (CCC) Eagles host the Fulton Pirates in a girl/boy doubleheader.
Here is a play by play of the girls’ game!
Fulton brings a 5-5 MSAC record and 5-7 overall record into the game. Carson City-Crystal is 8-2 in the MSAC and 9-4 overall.
The CCC pep band is doing a fine job entertaining the crowd before the game. As the readers are not able to hear the band, maybe we can enjoy some Good Vibrations from my You Tube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3482fQh0Rdo
I have done a few CCC games this season and Coach Cory Schneider has given me information about his Eagle players.
Mason Smith leads this year’s CCC team on the court and in scoring. He has always been an excellent guard who handles the ball, runs the offense and is an extremely athletic defender. This year he is asserting himself more as a scorer; he can slash to the basket or hit three pointers well. Oisin O’Grady is a tough defensive point guard who is good at slashing to the basket either to dish to teammates or make a layup. Brayden Clark is a tall, athletic forward who can slash to the basket well or shoot the threeball.
Jacob Stevens is a tough perimeter defender who gets a lot of steals and deflections. Michael Husted and Max Heleski are tough interior defenders who rebound well.
Fulton Coach Todd Walden gave me this information when I covered his Pirate team in previous games.
Bruce Thelen is an excellent and versatile athlete who was all-state in football and also excels in basketball. He is tough and determined on defense and willing to take a charge when necessary. On offense, he is the complete package for a guard as he handles the ball well, passes accurately and can score from all three levels as many say today. This means he is a threat from the three point line, from midrange and driving for layups.
Zach Saller is a tall player who is able to defend in the post and is quick enough to cover people on the perimeter where his height and long arms provide a lot of problems for Pirate opposing offenses. He has a fine three point shot and can also score in the post. Jadon Podolak makes few mistakes on offense or defense. He defends well on the perimeter and has a solid three point shot.
Dezmond Blair is a big guy who rebounds and defends in the post. He is also not afraid to take a charging foul. Thomas Thelen starts at forward and is a big factor in Fulton’s interior defense.
It is now time to look at the events of this game through the blurry gaze of an aging Bleacher Denizen who was never able to escape church league when he attempted to play basketball in ancient times. He never learned to only shoot as his own basket during games. Years later, I am beginning to understand why coaches frowned upon this.
CCC wins the opening tap. Bruce Thelen causes an Eagle traveling violation. Fulton misses a three point shot from the wing. Jadon Podolak pulls down the offensive rebound for the Pirates. Fulton misses a three point shot from the side. Thomas Thelen taps the rebound to a Pirate teammate. Fulton misses a three pointer near the top of the key. CCC reciprocates and misses three pointer near the top of the key.
Michael Husted knocks the ball away from Fulton and causes a tie up. The Possession Arrow was preoccupied with its stamp collection and missed the play; the fine defense goes for nothing as the ball is awarded back to Fulton. Fulton misses an eight foot shot from the side. Jadon Podolak knocks a CCC pass out of bounds; the Eagles retain possession. CCC misses a layup.
Jacob Stevens knocks the ball out of bounds; Fulton retains possession. Fulton misses a ten footer off the dribble in the lane. CCC misses a three point shot from the corner and fouls on the rebound. Jacob Stevens’ sticky defense causes Fulton to lose the ball out of bounds. Bruce Thelen steals the ball and hits a fast break layup to give Fulton the first two points of the game. Mason Smith zips a long pass to Michael Husted, who hits a layup for CCC to tie the game at 2-2.
Fulton commits an offensive foul. CCC misfires on a triple try from the corner. The rebound goes out of bounds and Fulton takes possession. Fulton misses a three pointer from the side. CCC misses a fast break layup. Michael Husted gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. CCC misses a layup. Fulton misses a threeball from the side. CCC reciprocates and misses a threeball from the side. Brayden Clark is fouled on a putback and hits one of his two free throws to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead with 1:34 to play in the first quarter.
Zach Saller tosses the ball to Bruce Thelen, who throws in a threeball from the wing to give Fulton a two point lead. Mason Smith passes to Zach Husted, who hits a layup for CCC to tie the game. Fulton turns the ball over. CCC misses a three point shot from the side. With twenty seconds to go in the quarter, CCC’s defense prevents Fulton from shooting before the buzzer goes off.
After one quarter, this game is tied at 5-5.
CCC inbounds the ball to start the second quarter. Jadon Podolak steals the ball and hits a fast break layup to give Fulton the lead. CCC misses a three point shot from the corner. Fulton misses a three point shot from the side. Oisin O’Grady drives and hits a layup for CCC to tie the game. Bruce Thelen fires a pass to Ian Lamkin, who hits a three point shot to give Fulton a 10-7 lead.
Mason Smith drives and hits a layup to close the Fulton lead to one point. Cole Smith taps the ball and Fulton loses it out of bounds. Ian Lamkin steals the ball for the Pirates. Fulton misses a three point shot from the side. Ian Lamkin gets his hand on the rebound which causes CCC to foul which causes Fulton to get the ball back.
(Even a Bleacher Denizen gets to write a cause and effect sentence once in awhile, I guess.) Jacob Stevens ignores the Bleacher Denizen, who nearly wrenches his shoulder from patting himself on the back for the cause and effect sentence. Jacob Stevens keeps his eye on the prize, steals the ball and hits a fast break layup that gives CCC an 11-10 lead.
Fulton misses a ten foot shot from the side. Bruce Thelen knocks the ball away from the Eagles and Jadon Podolak picks it up for the Pirates. Fulton misfires on a triple try from the corner. CCC fouls on the rebound. Jadon Podolak inbounds the ball to Bruce Thelen, who hits a ten foot shot from the side to give Fulton a 12-11 lead.
CCC misses a threeball from the corner. Bruce Thelen hits a three pointer off the dribble from the wing for Fulton. CCC bounces a pass out of bounds. Mason Smith knocks a Pirate pass out of bounds; Fulton retains possession. Michael Husted blocks a Pirate shot. Fulton retrieves the loose ball. Bruce Thelen passes to Jadon Podolak, who launches and hits a three point shot from the corner to push Fulton to an 18-11 lead.
CCC misses a three point shot from the wing. The rebound goes out of bounds and CCC gets another opportunity. Ian Lamkin steals the ball for Fulton. The Pirates commit an offensive foul. CCC misses a three pointer from the corner. Oisin O’Grady gets the offensive rebound for the Eagles. Bruce Thelen ties up the ball. The Possession Arrow consults its fellow stamp collectors and agrees that Fulton deserves the ball. Fulton misses a three point shot from the corner. Donovan Shinaver gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates, but there is no time to shoot.
Fulton has an 18-11 halftime lead. If normal basketball procedures are followed, the Pirates will continue to have an 18-11 lead at the start of the third quarter.
Michael Husted has 4 points to lead the Carson City-Crystal scoring.
Bruce Thelen has 10 points to lead Fulton and Jadon Podolak has 5 points.
The CCC Pep Band entertains at halftime with a number of fine songs. Your Bleacher Denizen’s favorite was “Spiderman.” For those who are not able to hear this great entertainment, I hope you will enjoy this ragtime tune with a bit of a humorous twist in the middle and at the end from my You Tube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUieaBvS38w
Your Bleacher Denizen glances at the scoreboard at the beginning of the third quarter and is proud to announce that he was right and Fulton still leads 18-11 at the start of quarter number three!!!
CCC inbounds the ball to get the third quarter underway. CCC runs its offense for a minute and twenty-four seconds before missing a layup. (CCC is actually really successful with this deliberate approach; their record speaks for itself.) The rebound goes out of bounds and Fulton gets the ball. CCC is fouled on a driving six foot shot in the lane, but misses two free throws. With 5:33 to play in the third quarter, Fulton’s lead remains at 18-11.
Michael Husted rebounds the missed free throw for CCC. The Eagles lose the ball out of bounds. Brayden Clark knocks the ball out of bounds; Fulton gets the ball. jacon Podolak passes to Donovan Shinaver, who is fouled on a five foot hook shot. Donovan Shinaver hits one of his two free throws to push Fulton to a 19-11 lead with 4:46 to play in the third quarter.
CCC misfires on a triple try from the corner. Mason Smith gets his hand on the ball and a Fulton dribbler loses it out of bounds. Donovan Shinaver’s defense forces a CCC missed layup; the rebound goes out of bounds and Fulton gets the ball. Fulton misses a three point shot near the top of the key. Brayden Clark drives and dishes the ball to Mason Smith, who hits a three point shot from the corner to cut the Fulton lead to 19-14.
Fulton misses a three point shot from the corner. Donovan Shinaver gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates. Bruce Thelen is fouled on a jump shot from the free throw elbow and hits one of his two free throws. Cole Smith passes to Brayden Clark, who hits a layup for CCC. Jadon Podolak is fouled and sinks both ends of a one and one freee throw opportunity to give Fulton a 22-16 lead with 1:40 left to go in the quarter.
CCC misses a three point shot from the side. Fulton fumbles a pass out of bounds. Brayden Clark passes to Cole Smith, who hits a three point shot from the side for the Eagles. Fulton is fouled, but misses the first shot of a one and one free throw opportunity. Fulton fouls on the rebound. Bruce Thelen steals the ball and hits a fast break layup for Fulton. Mason Smith shoots and hits a three point shot from the top of the key as the third quarter buzzer makes its presence known.
At the end of the third quarter, Fulton’s lead is at 24-22.
Fulton has the ball to start out the fourth quarter. Fulton misses a short hook shot. Zach Saller gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates. Mason Smith knocks the ball away from Fulton and Oisin O’Grady gets the ball for CCC.
Zach Saller knocks the ball away from CCC and Bruce Thelen ties it up for Fulton. The Possession Arrow is looking through travel brochures for a stamp collecting trip, misses the play and decrees that CCC shall get the ball. Jadon Podolak gets his hand on the ball and causes a CCC traveling violation. Fulton is fouled, but misses the first shot of a one and one free throw opportunity. With 5:23 remaining in the contest, Fulton’s lead is still at 24-22.
(So no one has scored in the first 2:37 of the fourth quarter.)
CCC is fouled on the rebound, but misses the first shot of a one and one free throw opportunity. Gavin Reeder knocks the ball away from Fulton and an Eagle teammate grabs it faster than the aging Bleacher Denizen can take notes. (Don’t put me out to pasture yet, PLEASE!!!) CCC loses the ball out of bounds on a too fast break. Cole Smith’s tough defense leads to a Fulton traveling violation. Mason Smith is fouled and makes both free throws in a one and one opportunity to tie the game at 24-24 with 4:26 remaining.
Cole Smith knocks the ball away from Fulton and Oisin O’Grady picks it up for CCC. Bruce Thelen draws a charging foul from the Eagles. Brayden Clark gets his hand on a Fulton pass and knocks it out of bounds; the Pirates retain possession. Mason Smith steals the Fulton inbound pass and hits a layup for CCC to give the Eagles a 26-24 lead.
Mason Smith steals the ball for CCC. Bruce Thelen draws another charging foul from CCC. Fulton loses a pass out of bounds. Mason Smith drives and hits a layup to give the Eagles a four point lead. Fulton misses a three point shot from the corner. Dezmond Blair gets the offensive rebound for the Pirates. Fulton is fouled, but misses two free throws. CCC is fouled and misses the first shot of a one and one free throw opportunity. With 1:53 left on the clock, the Eagle lead remains at 28-24.
Brayden Clark rebounds the missed free throw for the Eagles. CCC misses a three pointer from the wing. Fulton misses a three pointer from the corner. CCC misses a fast break layup. Gavin Reeder hits a putback for the Eagles. Oisin O’Grady steals the ball for the Eagles and is fouled. He hits one of his two free throws to push the Eagle lead to 31-24 with 1:09 to play in the contest.
Gavin Reeder steals the ball for CCC. The Eagles miss a layup. Zach Saller is fouled on the rebound and hits one of two free throws for CCC. Mason Smith is fouled and hits one of two free throws to boost the Eagles to a 32-25 lead with 40.7 seconds to go.
Fulton misses a three point shot from the corner. Brayden Clark is fouled on the rebound and hits one of his two free throws for CCC. Jadon Podolak passes to Ian Lamkin, who hits a three point shot from the corner for Fulton with 10.2 seconds to go. The CCC lead is at 33-28 and timeout is called.
Mason Smith is fouled and hits two free throws for CCC. Ian Lamkin hits a three point shot from the corner at the buzzer for Fulton.
Carson City-Crystal wins this MSAC Contest by the score of 35-31.
Bruce Thelen had 13 points to lead the Fulton scoring. Ian Lamkin had three triples for 9 points. Jadon Podolak added 7 points. Zach Saller and Donovan Shinaver each scored 1 point.
Mason Smith had 17 points to lead CCC. Brayden Clark and Michael Husted each contributed 4 points. Cole Smith and Oisin O’Grady each put in 3 points. Jacob Stevens and Gavin Reeder each had 2 points.