CREIGHTON — The Bulldogs had their eyes set on an upset Monday night against the unbeaten Wolfpack boys basketball team. It wasn’t to be as their eyes deceived them with EPPJ overcoming a six-point deficit at the start of the second half to pull away for a 53 to 43 victory Monday night (December 22).
The Wolfpack held Creighton to just two points in the third quarter as they fought back to take a 35 to 34 lead at the end of the period.
Michael Selting had six points in the quarter, Jarek Erickson had five and Jayvin Erickson gave the Wolfpack the lead with a trey to close out scoring in the quarter.
“The first three minutes of the second half is the most important part of the game. We got ahead and never looked back,” Wolfpack Coach Matt Euse said after the game.
The Bulldogs answered with four straight points to start the fourth quarter.
Jayvin’s second trey in the second half gave the Wolfpack the lead for good with 5:22 left in the game.
EPPJ then put together a seven-to-two run (all on free throws) to make the score 47 to 40 with 48 seconds left in the game.Jarek Erickson then made six of six free throw attempts to seal the victory, their eighth of the season against no losses.
Coach Euse said Selting and Jayvin being able to score helped Jarek to have a big game.
He said that, during a timeout, he asked the guys on the bench ‘what are you thinking?’ “They said let’s get the ball to Jarek, spread it out and let him go to work. The one that didn’t that was Jarek. So there’s no problem about egos.”
Jarek finished with a game-high 25 point, making six of 11 field goal attempts and 12 of 13 free throws. Selting had another big game, finishing with 13 points, Jayvin had eight.
The Wolfpack had a big advantage at the free throw line as they made 14 of 17, Creighton made just one of four.
EPPJ 53, Creighton 43
Wolfpack…………8 18 9 18 — 53
Bulldogs…………21 11 2 9 — 43
Wolfpack — Michael Selting 6-17 0-0 13, Karson Kallhoff 1-3 2-4 4, Evin Pelster 0-0 0-0 0, Jarek Erickson 6-11 12-13 25, Max Henn 1-5 0-0 3, Jayvin Erickson 3-6 0-0 8. Team totals: 17-42 14-17 53. Three-point shots — Wolfpack 7-19 (Jv. Erickson 2, Ja. Erickson 1, Max Henn 1, Selting 1). Creighton team totals: 18-48 1-4 43. Three-point shots — Creighton 6-24.
Team statistics: Rebounds — Wolfpack 25 (Ja. Erickson 11), Bulldogs 27. Assists — Wolfpack 6 (Kallhoff 4), Bulldogs NA. Steals — Wolfpack 2, Bulldogs NA. Turnovers — Wolfpack 3, Bulldogs 6.
