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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – The Stratford boys basketball team did what it needed to in order to stay in the Marawood Conference South Division championship chase on Thursday night, beating Wausau Newman Catholic 54-44 in a hard-fought game at Stratford High School.
The Tigers led by one at halftime and just two at 33-31 after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth, outscoring Newman 21-13.
With the victory, Stratford improves to 15-3 overall and 11-1 in the Marawood South, remaining one game behind first-place and undefeated Auburndale. The Tigers host Wisconsin Rapids Assumption on Tuesday, and with a win, will have a chance to play for the conference title on Feb. 17 at home against Auburndale.
Derek Austin scored 16 points, Troy Mengel added 15 points and Nolan Bargender had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Stratford.
The Tigers struggled to put the game away by making just 12 of 31 free throw attempts.
Marcus Gabriel led Newman (4-15, 3-9 Marawood South) with 17 points.
Tigers 54, Cardinals 44
Newman 12 10 9 13 – 44
Stratford 14 9 10 21 – 54
NEWMAN (44): Jake Schneider 1-5 0-0 2, Brad Knoblock 4-13 2-3 12, Brody Lemke 2-4 0-0 5, Nate Prososki 2-4 0-1 6, Matt Heeg 0-3 0-0 0, Eric Bychinski 0-1 2-2 2, Marcus Gabriel 6-10 4-6 17. FG: 15-42. FT: 8-13. 3-pointers: 6-20 (Prososki 2-4, Knoblock 2-8, Lemke 1-2, Gabriel 1-3, Lemke 0-1, Janke 0-1, Schneider 0-2). Rebounds: 18 (Prososki 7). Record: 4-15, 3-9 Marawood South.
STRATFORD (54): Greg Belter 1-4 1-5 3, Nolan Bargender 4-6 4-6 12, Ben Kraus 0-2 0-0 0, Derek Austin 6-15 3-9 16, Eli Temanson 1-3 0-0 3, Travis Urlaub 2-6 1-2 5, Troy Mengel 6-10 3-9 15. FG: 20-46. FT: 12-31. 3-pointers: 2-12 (Temanson 1-2, Austin 1-5, Kraus 0-2, Urlaub 0-3). Rebounds: 30 (Bargender 12). Record: 15-3, 11-1 Marawood South.