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Leaps and rebounds

By Shawn Linenberger - | Dec 13, 2006

Fans at the Tonganoxie-Osawatomie boys basketball game Saturday were debating how many points Tonganoxie’s Gabe Belobrajdic scored in the waning moments of the contest.

It turned out Belobrajdic scored an even 30.

The junior, who scored 12 against De Soto earlier last week and seven against Central Heights on Friday, erupted for a career high against Osawatomie.

Teammates kept feeding Belobrajdic the ball in the paint and he continued to finish with basket after basket.

“I think I scored the first basket and I could tell it was going to be a good night, but I really didn’t know I was going to have 30 at the end of the game.”

Belobrajdic discussed his reaction when told after the game how many points he scored.

“Right off the bat, I was like ‘wow,'” he said. “I was proud that I did that. I don’t want to come off to people that I was bragging, but I was really happy to have that many points.”

The junior also credited the perimeter players for the many assists.

“The guards did a great job getting the ball inside,” Belobrajdic said. “As long as you keep feeding people those basketballs, anyone’s going to have their night.”

THS coach David Walker agreed.

“That says a lot about our team as a whole,” Walker said. “They recognize when people are open.”

Belobrajdic’s outstanding output helped Tonganoxie rout Osawatomie, 69-52.

Belobrajdic scored Tonganoxie’s first basket and the Chieftains were in business from then on. THS led the entire game and outscored the Trojans in every quarter except the fourth, when OHS held a 17-13 edge.

With the win, THS earned the Trojan Tipoff Tournament title and a new outlook.

Tonganoxie was 0-18 last season before going 2-1 in its final three games.
The team, at least early on, has rebounded from last season, and stands at 3-0 this year.
“That was the best team game and the best game we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Belobrajdic said. “Obviously this is a big confidence booster for us. We’ve been working really hard.”
Tonganoxie squeaked by De Soto in the quarterfinals, 71-66. And in the semifinals, Tonganoxie rallied from a 10-point first-half deficit and defeated Central Heights, 45-41.
The Chieftains seemed to continually progress in the tournament, with Saturday obviously being their best performance.
Walker said the team started this season with a new motto.
“We were going to do things our way and at our pace,” Walker said.
That means the Chieftains will up the tempo on occasion when the opposition wants to run, but at the same time, not get out of control.
Zeb Kissinger also scored in double-figures against Osawatomie with 15.
Against the Trojans, THS shot 52 percent from the field (24-for-46), 22 percent from three-point range (2-for-9) and 75 percent from the free-throw line (15-for-20).
OHS, meanwhile, shot 37 percent from the field (16-for-43), 15 percent from beyond the three-point line (2-for-13) and 48 percent from the free-throw stripe (14-for-29).
Tonganoxie will travel Friday to take on archrival Lansing, which is 0-3.
THS will have its final game before winter break Tuesday at De Soto.
THS 45, CENTRAL HTS. 41
Score by quarters
Central Heights 7 12 8 14 — 41
Tonganoxie 7 4 16 18 — 45

Individual scoring
Central Heights — White 4(2) 4-4 14, Wuertz 5(2) 0-0 12, Adkinson 2(1) 0-0 5, Welch 4 0-0 8, Herring 1 0-0 2. Totals:16 (5) 4-4 41.
Tonganoxie — Miles 3 1-3 7, Hughes 7(2) 2-2 18, Wentz-Hall 3 0-0 6, Belobrajdic 3 1-3 7, Kissinger 2 1-2 5, Smith 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18(2) 5-10 45.

THS 69, OSAWATOMIE 52
Score by quarters
Tonganoxie 18 21 17 13 — 69
Osawatomie 12 12 11 17 — 52

Individual scoring
Tonganoxie — Miles 2 4-5 8, Hughes 2(1) 0-0 5, Belobrajdic 12 6-7 30, Kissinger 7 1-1 15, 0 2-2 2, Krause 2(1) 1-2 6, Smith 0 1-2 1, Gurss 1 0-0 2. Totals: 26(2) 15-19 69.
Osawatomie — Needham 1(1) 3-5 6, Kilbourn 1(1) 4-5 7, Soucie 3 5-6 11, Pretz 3 1-2 7, Russell 7 1-5 15, Filipin 1 0-0 2, Cole Surber 1 0-4 2, Gorman 1 0-2 2.