Fast start lifts Bucks over Bobcats

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BROOKINGS – Not many teams can come back after spotting an opponent a 27-point lead.

That was the case on Friday night at Bob Jostad Gymnasium where Yankton held the Bobcats scoreless for the first 10 1/2 minutes of the game while scoring 27 en route to a 66-38 Eastern South Dakota Conference win.

A Casey Krejci 3-pointer with eight seconds left in the first quarter gave the Bucks a 23-0 lead at the quarter break as Brookings went 0-for-8 from the floor and turned the ball over six times.

Another Krejci basket and a tip in by Matthew Mors pushed Yankton’s lead to 27-0 before Trent Broksieck converted 1-of- 2 free throws to get the Bobcats off the schneid with 5:28 to play in the second quarter.

From there, Brookings out-scored the Bucks, 14-7, the rest of the quarter to trail 34-15 at halftime.

Riley Schafer scored to open the third quarter as the ‘Cats got within 17 at 34-17, but Yankton stretched its advantage to 23 points with a 53-30 lead through three quarters.

A Cole Sawatzke 3-pointer with 4:23 left in the game gave the Bucks their biggest lead at 34 points – 64-30 – as Yankton improved to 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the ESD.

Mors led the Bucks with 25 points, six rebounds and a pair of assists while Jack Wolfgram added 11 points, five boards, three steals and a pair of dimes and Owen Feser finished with 10 points.

Trevor Woodall’s eight points, five rebounds and three steals were tops for Brookings, which dropped to 2-7 and 2-6 in league play.

Riley Schafer added six points and Josh Sell had five for the Bobcats, who play host to Huron on Tuesday.