Fast start helps Jets topple Trinity

SEYMOUR — Hauser took the lead on Trinity Lutheran midway through the first period and remained ahead the rest of the night to post a 56-44 win Tuesday night.

The Jets broke the game open in the second period when they outscored the Cougars 14-5.

Hauser held a 19-13 lead heading into the second period, then increased its lead to 23-13 after two minutes.

After Colton Wischmeier hit a 3-pointer at 5:15 to close the difference to 23-16, the Jets (2-1) went on a 10-0 run, and extended their lead to 33-16 on a layup by Brad Paetzel with 1:10 left in the half. Chad Stuckwisch finally scored for the Cougars with 28 seconds left in the period for a 33-18 score at intermission.

Trinity shot just 2 for 14 in the second period, and 7 for 27 for the half.

Hauser’s 6-foot-7 junior, Alex Gross, was too much for the Cougars to handle in the first half, scoring six points in each quarter to go along with six rebounds in the first half.

“We probably moved the ball better,” Hauser assistant coach Griff Roth said. “Being a little more patient with the ball helps out a lot. If we can get some fast breaks that helps as well.”

“What we’re hoping for is to always run. If Gross can get the rebound out, we feel we’ve got a good shot at getting it down the floor.”

The Jets shot 14 for 19 and outrebounded 14-5 in the first half.

Hauser continued its hot pace at the start of the third quarter, when it outscored Trinity 9-2 to increase the lead to 42-20 with a layup by A.J. Titus at the 4:25 mark.

Four different players scored for the Cougars in the quarter as Chad Stuckwisch made a 3-pointer, and Sam Marksberry scored four points.

Gross ended up with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

“We tried to double him up and he’s good enough to score even when he’s double-teamed,” Trinity Coach Brian Stuckwisch said.

Mason Sherman added 10 points for the Jets. Wischmeier finished with 12 for the Cougars (0-2), while Marskberry added 11 and Chad Stuckwisch had 10.

“We feel we’ve got some pretty good basketball players,” Roth said. “As long as we can put it all together we will be OK. Give Trinity a lot of credit. We had a good lead on them, and they come storming back. They have a good coaching staff.”