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2006-2007 Freshmen Pioneers
Game Summaries
Game 1
Nov. 27 Kirkwood 52, U City 39
In their first game of the season, the Pioneers held off a late rally by the U
City Lions to win, 52-39. Both teams got off to a slow start, but leading the
way were Nathan McMahon (11 points, 6 reb) and Ahmad Hicks (11 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast)
who helped break U City's pressure defense and pull away for the W. Hunter Ward
also had 8 pts and 3 ast.
Game 2
Nov. 28 Vianney 50, Kirkwood 38
In their second game, Kirkwood fell a little flat, as Vianney's tight defense
and inside scorers were too much for the Pioneers and they lost, 50-38. The
Pioneers were down at halftime but cut the Griffin lead to 2 points, 32-30, with
a minute remaining in the third quarter. Hunter Ward had 11 points and 8
rebounds, Ahmad Hicks 9 points 3 assists, Max Robinson 8 before fouling out, and
Mike Felling added four assists.
Game 3
Nov 29 Kirkwood 53, Eureka 47
Down four at halftime, Kirkwood used their pressure defense and a solid
transition game to defeat Eureka, 53-47. With a strong fourth quarter showing,
The Pioneers were able to turn a one point deficit into a six point victory.
Hunter Ward had 18 points and 5 rebs, including four key free throws in the
last minute, Ahmad Hicks scored 16 with 5 rebs and 3 steals, and Nate McMahon,
Max Robinson, and Joey Greenstein provided key inside presence. Mike Felling
had six points off the bench, and Brian Walser converted key baskets down the
stretch as the freshmen improved to 2-1.
Game 4
Lafayette 43, Kirkwood 33
Leading 11-6 going into the second quarter, Kirkwood was shut out for
the remainder of the half and could not catch up to the talented
freshmen at Lafayette HS, eventually losing 43-33. Though the teams
traded baskets throughout the second half, the Pioneers could not come
back all the way. Hunter Ward led the Kirkwood attack with 16 points
and 7 rebounds, while Ahmad Hicks added 12 points.
Game 5
Parkway South 58, Kirkwood 29
The young Pioneers ran into a deep, talented team at Parkway South,
and the Patriots wasted no time, mounting a quick 15-5 lead.
Officials Connie Coughlin and Bob Nichols assessed a Technical Foul on
Pioneers coach Graham McBride during the second quarter for "standing
on the sideline," and this obviously affected the Pioneers' comeback
hopes. Nonetheless, the Kirkwood freshmen fought the entire time,
closing a large lead during the 3rd quarter, but eventually succumbing
to a well-run offense and pressure defense by the Patriots.
Game 6
Kirkwood 35, Mehlville 33
The Pioneers returned to their winning ways on Friday, December 15,
surging to a 9-0 lead in the first quarter behind Ahmad Hicks' quick
baskets and Max Robinson's inside presence. The second quarter,
however, was all Mehlville, as they used a disciplined zone offense to
score 19 points in the frame. Down 2 at the half, the Pioneers
rallied to come back and tie the game in the fourth quarter,
converting six straight free throws (Ward, McMahon, and Robinson) to
ice the game in the last minute. Nate McMahon and Robinson led the
Kirkwood stat sheet with 9 points apiece, and each added 6 rebounds
and 2 blocks. Andrew Gift's three pointer at the two-minute mark of
the fourth was a key bucket for the Wood.
Game 7
Kirkwood 50, Ladue 38
Using an intense pressure defense, the Pioneers went up early and
never looked back on the Rams, taking advantage of mistakes and
running a crisp transition game. Up by two in the second period, the
Pioneers went on a 23-4 run with key defense by Brian Walser,
transition baskets by Andrew Gift, Joey Greenstein, and Nate McMahon,
rebounding from Scott Sonne (6 points) and Max Robinson, and a
balanced attack. At one point the Pioneers hit ten straight free
throws to go into the half leading 33-14. The second half was all
Kirkwood as well, as a minute into the fourth they led by 25. In all,
ten players scored for Kirkwood, led by Nate McMahon and Ahmad Hicks'
9 points each. Michael Felling added 4 assists.
Game 8
Webster 63, Kirkwood 60 (4 OT)
In one of the most thrilling games in recent freshman basketball
memory, the
Statesmen outlasted the Pioneers in quadruple overtime. The Pioneers
held a
2 point advantage at halftime, and a see-saw game saw the score tied at
the
end of regulation. In the first overtime, each team traded baskets,
with
Hunter Ward and Ahmad Hicks providing the buckets for Kirkwood. The
second
OT saw each team score huge three-point plays (Kirkwood's on an inside
basket by Nate McMahon) and another tied score at the buzzer. By the
third
overtime, each team was in serious foul trouble, but found a way to
score
seven points each to send it to a fourth. In the fourth overtime,
Webster
was finally able to pull away, after a late injury to Nate McMahon.
Kirkwood's leading scorers were Hunter Ward (16 pts, 5 reb, 5 stl),
Ahmad
Hicks (16 pts, 5 ast), and Nate McMahon (14 pts, 8 reb).
Game 9
Pattonville 42, Kirkwood 32
In their first game in 2007, Kirkwood was frustrated by Pattonville's patient
offense and a cold shooting night. Pattonville took a seven point lead
into halftime, using back door cuts and key guard play as their main weapons.
Kirkwood pulled to within three during the third quarter, but was unable to
sustain their run. Max Robinson had a solid game inside,
scoring 7 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, and Joey Greenstein added 8 points
and five rebounds of his own, but Pattonville sent the Pioneers home with a
ten point loss.
Game 10 Jan
5
Marquette 49, Kirkwood 39
Kirkwood started the game shaky and never quite recovered, falling to a
strong Marquette team by ten points. The first quarter saw Marquette jump
out to a 10-2 lead, and they never looked back, leading by 12 at half. The
Pioneers managed a strong third quarter, featuring key baskets by Ahmad
Hicks, Brian Walser, and Joey Greenstein, but Marquette's outside shooting
proved deadly, as they hit three 3-pointers in the period. Ronald Dumas,
Donnie Doll, and Desmond Rice led a fourth-quarter charge with strong drives
for baskets, and Max Robinson's inside moves were displayed as he scored 7
of his 9 points in the final period. Ahmad Hicks paced the Pioneers with
11
pts, 5 assists, and 5 steals.
Game 11 Jan 9
Kirkwood 51, Lindbergh 43
The Pioneers returned to their winning ways at home against Lindbergh,
using a strong overall game from Hunter Ward, and impressive inside
performances from Max Robinson and Nate McMahon (8 pts 5 reb each) to subdue
Lindbergh's disciplined attack. Though the Pioneers jumped out to an early
13-7
advantage, they had trouble stopping the Flyers' big man, Jimmy Boemer,
who scored their first 9 points. When he left with foul trouble--for the
second quarter, Kirkwood was able to establish a quality inside presence and
force several key turnovers. Hunter Ward scored six points in the third,
and Peter Krusing contributed for two assists in the period as the
Pioneers pulled away. Scott Sonne pulled down four important rebounds to
start
Kirkwood fast breaks, and Brian Walser's four steals helped keep any Lindbergh
comeback attempts at bay. Hunter Ward finished with 18 points and 6
rebounds.
Game 12 Jan 12
Oakville 46, Kirkwood 39
Kirkwood faced an impressive foe in Oakville, who came into the game at 9-1 and
featured two players who were 6'3'' or taller. The first half was a back and
forth affair, but baskets by Hunter Ward and Nate McMahon kept the Pioneers
close. Ronald Dumas' 3-pointer in the
second quarter gave the Pioneers a brief lead, only to see it eclipsed by the
larger Tiger big men. The Pioneers won the third quarter 10-5, to begin the
fourth only down one, led by strong defense from the entire team, strong
rebounding by Scott Sonne, and a big three by
Andrew Gift, but eventually the Oakville front line proved too big, wearing the
Kirkwood defense down for a 17-point fourth quarter. Ahmad Hicks led the team
with 12 points (6-6 FT), Scott Sonne grabbed 5 rebounds, and Hunter Ward added 9
points.
Game 13 Jan 15
CBC 50, Kirkwood 41
In the first round of the Vianney Invitational, the Pioneers fell to a talented
Cadets team that has not lost a game this season. Kirkwood kept it very close
during the first half, playing an open court game. Desmond Rice and Ahmad Hicks
had big buckets in the first half, and Brain Walser nabbed 5 steals in the
frame. Down 20-15 at the half, the Pioneers confused CBC with different zones,
forced turnovers and created baskets to take a 23-22 lead midway through the
third. Key baskets by Nate McMahon and Walser kept it close, but a series of
3-pointers and inside baskets pulled CBC away at the beginning of the fourth
quarter. Ahmad Hicks finished with 11 points and 4 assists, while Nate McMahon
had 9 points, 7 rebounds.
Game 14 Jan 16
Kirkwood 49, Holt 43
In the second round of the Vianney Invitational, Kirkwood used two quarter-long
runs to defeat Holt. Down 11-6 to begin the second quarter, the Pioneers used
their pressure defense to hurry Holt's offense, and it worked: Brian Walser had
four steals, Hunter Ward had 12 points, Scott Sonne 6, and K'wood outscored Holt
21-6 in the period, scoring the most points in a quarter all year. During the
third quarter, Holt used a 7-0 opening run to get right back in it,
and took a 3 point lead going into the fourth. The final quarter saw Kirkwood
once again make a surge, outscoring their opponent 15-6, with big baskets by
Desmond Rice, Peter Krusing, and Nate McMahon. Hunter Ward scored 17 points
with 6 rebounds, Nate McMahon scored 11 points (9-12 FT), and the Pioneers made
5 of 6 from the FT line in the last minute to seal the win.
Kirkwood 44, Parkway Central 30
The Pioneers overcame a four-point (17-13) halftime deficit to come back and
defeat the Colts on their own home court. Using a key 12-2 run in the third
quarter, Kirkwood reversed the Central lead and then poured it on in the
fourth, scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter alone. Inside presence was
crucial for the Pioneers, as Max Robinson, Joey Greenstein and Ahmad Hicks
kept the pressure on down low, while Hunter Ward came alive to hit 4 big
jumpers in the second half as K'wood pulled away. During the key run, Brian
Walser had three steals that led to big Kirkwood baskets, and two offensive
rebound/putbacks that kept the pressure on. Mike Felling came off the bench
for a key basket, 3 steals, and 2 assists. During the fourth quarter,
Mike Killeen had a key rebound and assist and Donnie Doll picked up a fast
break bucket. Hicks had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, while Hunter Ward
led all scorers with 14 points.
Kirkwood 46, Northwest 32
Once again the Pioneers used a strong third quarter run to pave the way to
their third straight victory. Pressure defense and strong rebounding led to
easy baskets by Andrew Gift, Ahmad Hicks, and Scott Sonne in the first half,
but Pioneer foul trouble led to 11 points at the line for the Lions. Kirkwood
was able to pull away by easing up on the fouls and hunkering down and playing
solid defense. The Wood outscored the Lions 16-6 in the third, pulling away
and never looking back. Hicks led all scorers with 14 points and added 8
steals and 3 assists. Scott Sonne had 6 points, Hunter Ward 7 points, 6
rebounds, and Peter Krusing aided the cause with 5 rebounds and 5 assists of
his own.
DeSmet 33, Kirkwood 25
Kirkwood was stymied by DeSmet's defense, only scoring 2 points in the second
and third quarters each, and succumbed to turnover after turnover. Credit due
to DeSmet's game plan, which focused on keeping the ball from getting down low
and boxing out after jump shots. The Pioneers turned the ball over 25 times,
which matched the amount of points scored in the game. Max Robinson led all
scorers with 7 points, and added 7 rebounds.
Kirkwood 54, Parkway West 42
The Pioneers started off their last week on a good note,
using a hot-shooting second quarter run to pull away from the visiting Parkway
West freshmen. Tied 12-12 to begin the second quarter, the Pioneers used
second shots from Scott Sonne and hot shooting from Brian Walser and Andrew
Gift to begin to pull away. Ronald Dumas sent the Pioneers into halftime with
a bang, converting a 3/4 court heave for a three at the buzzer for a nine
point halftime advantage. The second half saw more penetration by Dumas and
slick court vision from Peter Krusing to maintain the lead. During the
fourth, Nate McMahon converted five free throws and Michael Felling handled
the late-game pressure with poise, leading to the 12 point victory. Joey
Greenstein had a strong game, with 7 points and 7 rebounds, Ronald Dumas
finished with 11 points and 4 steals, and Andrew "Goggles" Gift hit three
3-pointers.
Kirkwood 47, Fox 33
The 'Wood pummeled the Fox from the start, going up 12-2
in the first, led by Nate McMahon's strong inside presence and mid-range
jumpers from Michael Felling. Though the Warriors staged a short comeback in
the second quarter, the Pioneers kept a 12 point advantage at the half. The
third quarter was fun to watch, as the Pioneers sliced up the Fox zone defense
for buckets from all angles. Ronald Dumas and Peter Krusing provided key
penetration and dishes, and Andrew Gift knocked down jumpers from everywhere.
With McMahon continuing to rebound and provide inside baskets, Kirkwood jumped
out to a 25 point lead. In the fourth, Michael Killeen and Ely Thayer got
into the action, providing solid minutes and points. McMahon finished with 16
points and 8 rebounds, Joey Greenstein added 7 rebounds of his own, Felling,
Gift, and Dumas added 6 points apiece, and every Pioneer had a point, a
rebound, or steal.
Kirkwood 47,
McCluer 33
The Pioneers ended their season on a high note, using a
balanced attack to carve up McCluer's
pressure defense. The first half was a back and forth battle, as Peter
Krusing and Michael Felling used their ball handling abilities to get layups
and dish to big men Scott Sonne and Nate McMahon for easy baskets.
McCluer's shooters were on, though,
and their three-point shooting kept them in the game. Clinging to a 3-point
lead at the half, Kirkwood switched to a man defense for the third quarter,
and played some of the best defense of their season. Ronald Dumas and Brian
Walser had 3 steals each in the third, and great rotation and rebounding by
Scott Sonne and Joey Greenstein held
McCluer to one shot for each possession. This intense defense led to a
rare feat--Kirkwood shut McCluer out
for the quarter--turning their advantage into a 14-point lead thanks to
baskets by Krusing, Andrew Gift, and Joey Greenstein. The fourth saw the
Pioneer lead grow to as much as 21 before
McCluer began to pressure again, cutting the final score to 47-33.
Sonne had a strong game inside, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds,
while Krusing led the team with 11 points and 4 assists. Though Walser did
not score, he added 4 rebounds, 4 steals, and 6 assists to help the Pioneers
cruise to victory.
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