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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – Wausau East overcame a five-point halftime deficit to defeat Stratford 61-56 and claim the title at the Stratford Boys Basketball Holiday Tournament on Friday night at Stratford High School.
The Tigers led 27-22 at halftime, but East responded with a 39-point second half and pulled out the victory.
Drew Bruesewitz made 14 of 14 free throws and scored a game-high 26 points for Stratford (7-3). Heny Zaleski added 11 points in the loss for the Tigers.
Jesse Napgezek had 15 points, Jack Barthels drilled four 3-pointers and scored 12, and Charlie Cayley had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Wausau East, which improves to 9-2 this season.
Stratford will have a week off before return to action at home against Abbotsford for a Marawood Conference crossover game on Friday, Jan. 5.
Lumberjacks 61, Tigers 56
Wausau East 22 39 – 61
Stratford 27 29 – 56
WAUSAU EAST (61): Caden Werth 1-3 3-4 5, Jaydan Garrett 3-5 0-0 8, Jesse Napgezek 6-12 2-4 15, Isaac Rozwadowski 2-6 4-6 8, Jack Barthels 4-6 0-0 12, Brady Prihoda 0-0 0-0 0, Teddy Schlindwein 1-1 0-0 3, Jed VanderSanden 0-0 0-0 0, Charlie Cayley 3-11 4-8 10. FG: 20-44. FT: 13-22. 3-pointers: 8-17 (Barthels 4-6, Garrett 2-4, Schlindwein 1-1, Napgezek 1-2, Werth 0-1, Rozwadowski 0-3). Rebounds: 24 (Cayley 15). Fouls: 28. Fouled out: Napgezek, Rozwadowski. Record: 9-2.
STRATFORD (56): Caleb Wrensch 0-3 1-2 1, Alec Chapel 1-3 3-7 5, Reid Miller 0-1 0-0 0, Jett Schoenherr 0-0 0-0 0, Drew Bruesewitz 5-9 14-14 26, Payton Glenn 1-2 0-0 2, Henry Zaleski 4-8 3-4 11, Kaden Foster 1-1 0-0 3, Brady Schmidt 2-7 2-2 8. FG: 14-34. FT: 23-30. 3-pointers: 5-14 (Bruesewitz 2-3, Schmidt 2-7, Foster 1-1, Wrensch 0-1, Chapel 0-1, Miller 0-1). Rebounds: 22 (Bruesewitz 7). Fouls: 20. Fouled out: Zaleski. Record: 7-3.