By Kory Carpenter Record Sports Editor The Liberty Christian boys used a two-headed attack to blitz Bethel Christian Academy Monday night, 61-46. Bethel led 14-10 after one quarter, but Liberty …
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By Kory Carpenter
Record Sports Editor
The Liberty Christian boys used a two-headed attack to blitz Bethel Christian Academy Monday night, 61-46.
Bethel led 14-10 after one quarter, but Liberty Christian took a 34-24 lead to the locker room at halftime.
“Before the game, I was concerned that we might come out flat,” Head Coach Butch Clark said. “We hadn’t played in almost a week and hadn’t practiced since last Thursday, and our play the first quarter reflected that.”
The Eagles started the second quarter in a full-court press and flustered the Knights.
Junior forward Jake Pietzman capitalized on the pressure, scoring in transition and finishing with 21 points.
He led the team with 13 rebounds and 12 steals.
Clark called Pietzman, who is averaging 12.4 points and 7.6 assists, the most athletic player on the team, and said he never has to worry about Pietzman’s effort on the court.
Freshman guard Andrew Voss helped Pietzman along the way, scoring 21 points in the win.
“Anyone that has watched Andrew play before could tell he was going to be a special talent at some point, but he seems to have matured into a high school player overnight,” Clark said. “Most kids will become more consistent as they mature, but Andrew is playing with the court sense of an upperclassman right now.”
Voss is averaging 13.8 points this season.
The teams played even in the third quarter, and Liberty Christian extended its lead in the final eight minutes.
Senior guard Brenden Dickson scored six points, and seven players scored for the Eagles.
“We have seven kids that could start, and all of them are capable of having a hot quarter or game and carrying us,” Clark said. “So far, we have had one or two that have stepped up about every game, so it has been a great team effort.”
Clark was pleased with his team’s 12-of-17 performance from the free-throw line, but hopes to work out some kinks on defense.
The Eagles have pressured the perimeter more this season, and Clark said the players have responded positively.
“I really think it can be a lot more effective,” he said.
Liberty Christian returns from Christmas break Jan. 5 at Community Christian Academy.
