East bounces back, but team not satisfied with level of play

After suffering its first conference loss of the season Jan. 13 to Brookfield Central, the Wauwatosa East boys basketball team was looking for a dominant bounce-back victory against rival Marquette on Jan. 19.

While the Red Raiders picked up the win, 51-45, it wasn't the polished performance head coach Tim Arndorfer expected if the team plans to contend for its first Greater Metro Conference title in five years.

"We've got to get back to doing the little things that we've done well in the past and make sure we don't slip too far backwards here," he said. "I think we've taken some steps backwards the last few games."

That included a 13-point loss to Brookfield Central, which put East (11-2 overall, 6-1 GMC entering this week) a game behind the Lancers (12-2, 7-0) for the conference lead.

Not wanting to fall any further in the standings heading into the second half of the schedule, Red Raiders forward Bryce Kratzer said it was imperative the team took advantage of a struggling Marquette team.

The Hilltoppers (2-9, 1-6) came into the game having lost seven of eight games.

"Even though Marquette is not as good as advertised," he said, "we had to come in and get a big win and keep pace with Brook. Central."

After a choppy first half of play by both teams, Kratzer provided the necessary spark for East in the third quarter.

Up 25-22 at the break, he scored the team's first five points of the second half and extended the lead to 30-24 midway through the third quarter.

East finished the quarter on an 8-3 run and led 40-33 on the strength of stellar free throw shooting.

The team was 9-for-11 from the line in the third quarter and 19-for-26 for the game, compared to just 5-for-8 for Marquette.

Kratzer finished with a game-high 13 points, including 3-for-4 from the free throw line.

"Bryce Kratzer had a great game," Arndorfer said. "He hit a lot of big shots throughout."

Marquette, which never led, hung around most of the second half and was within a basket of tying the game on four occasions in the third quarter.

But missed open shots, compounded by 18 turnovers for the game, prevented the Hilltoppers from dealing what could have been a crushing blow to East's title bid.

"We missed a number of layups right around the bucket," Marquette head coach David Cooks said. "Those became swings in the game, and I think that was the difference down the stretch."

Donnell Segers led Marquette with 12 points.

While the Red Raiders survived against Marquette, Kratzer said the team will have to play up to its potential in order to contend.

"We've got to start going back to putting teams away," he said.

Arndorfer agreed and said his team can't afford another loss leading up to the second meeting with Brookfield Central on Feb. 17.

"It's keeping pace now," he said. "We'll see if Brook. Central can run the table in the second half. We know we get one more chance at them so we have to make sure we stay at one in the loss column and then we'll get our shot."