Bago boys looking good with 3-0 start

By Doug Schroder
CORRESPONDENT
The Winnebago Indians boy’s basketball team has gotten off to a good start for the 2019-2020 season by winning their first three games, two of which were won in very convincing fashion.
The season started for Winnebago on Saturday, Nov. 30 when they took on the Forreston Cardinals in a home contest.
The Indians jumped out to a 15-7 first quarter lead and never looked back as they thumped the Cardinals 81-36. Four Indians scored in double digits with Derek Rosenstiel leading the way at 20 points, followed by Cortavius Reed with 12, Casey Nsamba with 10 and Ethan Ackerman with 10.
Winnebago faced a tougher challenge when they travelled to Pecatonica to take on another Indian tribe on Thursday, Dec. 7.
It was the first time in Joe Murphy’s coaching career that he would go up against one of his former assistant coaches. Pecatonica head coach Bobby Heisler served under Murphy when Winnebago took second in the State in 2018.
The Pecatonica Indians were looking good as they grabbed a 20-11 first quarter advantage over the Winnebago Indians.
Pec would not relinquish the lead until the fourth quarter when Winnebago outscored Pecatonica 18-10 to win in a close one, 61-59.
Derek Rosenstiel led Winnebago in scoring with 25 points, followed by Cole Seger and Cortavius Reed with 12 each.
The much-improved Pecatonica Indians were led by Austin Carlson with 20 points, Isaac Sawyer with 18 and Kelton Gann with 10.
What was Coach Murphy’s take on facing a former assistant coach?
“It was a fun game. Pec really impressed me with their effort and hard play,” Murphy said.
Next up on the schedule for the Indians was the 60th Annual Forreston Holiday Tournament, which started on Saturday, Dec. 14.
How did Coach Murphy feel about the team heading into play at the Forreston tournament?
“We have the number-one seed and are playing well, the only problem right now is we that we have only played two games. We have an all senior starting lineup, with a good and deep bench,” stated Murphy.
Play well the Indians did as they obliterated Pearl City in the opening game of the Forreston Tournament, 79-15.
Winnebago was then scheduled to play on Monday, Dec. 16 against either Dakota or Stillman Valley.
If things go as expected for the Indians, they should be playing number-two seed Oregon, or possibly number-three seed Sterling Newman, for the tournament championship on Friday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
After the Forreston Holiday Tournament ends, the Indians will start conference play the next day when the North Boone Vikings will pay a visit to Winnebago on Saturday, Dec. 21.
Winnebago is scheduled to play again this year in the State Farm Holiday Classic in Bloomington, which run Dec. 28-31.
The Indians will then return home for a game on Jan. 7 against Eastland.