by Jen Burhans
Berlin varsity boys basketball started a three game road trip with a strong showing against Hawthorne Valley. The starting five ripped off a very quick 30 points for a 30-4 first quarter lead. A combination of starters and bench players kept up the pace in the second quarter going into the locker room with the score at 59-10. Hawthorne Valley started the third quarter with a better organized defense and started to make more of their shots, outscoring Berlin 15-8. The fourth quarter saw the Berlin starters back in the game, grabbing 12 points and taking control to ensure a 79-40 win. Coach Sauer was able to get in all his reserves and fans saw a glimpse of what Berlin has to look forward to next year.
After a disappointing finish in their first home game, losing to Germantown, Berlin bounced back and played a sharp game against a struggling Hawthorne. Berlin was led by junior forward Greg DePaolis’ 22 points and 10 rebounds. Seniors Cody Seel and Cullen O’Brien chipped in with 16 and 10 points respectively. A total of 10 players contributed points in the winning effort.
Berlin Coach Kasson Sauer said after the game, “I’m very proud of the effort my players put forth throughout the game. Our defensive execution was superb in the first half, and we were able to take advantage of that on the offensive end.”
