By Daniel Schoettler
Sports Correspondent
The Whitewater Whippets endured a rough week as they fell to Evansville (Dec. 21) and East Troy (Dec. 18), extending their losing streak to seven games heading into a holiday tournament in Sheboygan on Friday and Saturday.
Evansville hit six threes as it grabbed a 35-21 lead in the first half. The Blue Devils extended their lead to as high as 34 points as Whitewater fell, 70-40.
“It was a flat game all around,” Whippets’ head coach Dan Gnatzig said. “When we made a little bit of a run in the first half and made some shots, it looked OK. We switched to a zone, and (Ben) Stoll got into foul trouble early and with a short bench that dictated it, too.”
Whitewater made 18 shots in the loss, including one from three-point range. The Whippets shot only 3-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Jake Martin and Dylan Pease led the way for Whitewater with 10 points apiece, while Cooper Pease chipped in 6.
Against East Troy, the Trojans started the game on a 20-9 run before settling for a 47-21 lead at halftime.
Whitewater cut its deficit to 15 twice in the second half before falling 84-57 at home.
Whitewater made 24 field goals, featuring six from three-point range. The Whippets shot a miserable 3-for-15 from the free-throw line.
“I thought we did some of the best things we have done all year by handling the pressure in the second half,” Gnatzig said of the East Troy game. “We saw a lot of good things but still have some stuff to work on.”
Martin led the way with 20 points, while Dylan Pease added 18 and Ben Stoll also reached double figures with 14.
Whitewater stands 1-7 overall.
See more Whippets sports in the Dec. 27 Whitewater Register.
