The Bulldogs Charge Into the season winning 3 straight against Monterey!
Well Wartburg fans - the season officially kicked off tonight with a bang as the Wartburg Bulldogs took all thee contests against their Monterey counterparts. On November 19, 2024, the Lady Bulldogs Junior Varsity kicked the night off with an impressive win... and then the Varsity girls took the floor. They started a little flat, down by 10 at the half, only to come back and win by a wide margin. A great start to the Lady Bulldogs' season indeed! At 8 PM, the Wartburg Bulldog boys team took the floor and took command of the game early. They started the season off playing "Nelson-ball" - a brand of basketball that looks to be characterized by intensity, speed, and hustle. Monterey played a little clunky - clearly out of their rhythm while dealing with the fiery Dawgs... Head Coach Travis Nelson had prepared his team to run and hustle, utilizing a deep bench and frequent subs to keep his players fresh. He had the luxury of playing 12, having 6 more dressed in reserve, and at least another 6 that didn't dress. This is a DEEP squad - and the early returns look promising as the boys won by a score of 56-51 - at times extending their lead to as much as 15 points.
This win is a huge sigh of relief for a Wartburg team that has struggled in the season opener for years. The last time the Bulldogs started 1-0 was the 2017-18 season. As a matter of fact, last year, the Bulldogs were midway into December before they hung their first "W" on the board - so this is a statement to the boys on the team and the community behind them - WARTBURG IS HERE TO PLAY!
Here are a few of the things that stood out in this particular game:
This win is a huge sigh of relief for a Wartburg team that has struggled in the season opener for years. The last time the Bulldogs started 1-0 was the 2017-18 season. As a matter of fact, last year, the Bulldogs were midway into December before they hung their first "W" on the board - so this is a statement to the boys on the team and the community behind them - WARTBURG IS HERE TO PLAY!
Here are a few of the things that stood out in this particular game:
Smothering Defense
From fast close outs to full court sprints up and down the court, the Bulldogs made it plain - you aren't going to outrun us! They played a well-balanced, disciplined brand of defense that frustrated Monterey the entire night. One unique aspect of this game was the crazy amount of charges that were called. I'm not saying they weren't justified - but in games I've seen, you get excited for that rare charge called - maybe once in a blue moon. I was trying to keep count of all of the charges committed by Monterey - and I lost count after 5. This is a testament, again, to Wartburg beating their opponent down the court in time to get position, and get their feet set. I noticed every timeout was sponsored by our hometown One Bank of Tennessee - but it really felt like it should've been American Express or Visa with all the charges going on! CHARGE!
Quick Hitters
- MAN HANDS Paxton Quinney was given the moniker "Slanky" from his brother Tucker recently... but tonight's performance made me want to dial up his nickname from last spring's AAU with the Downtown Roosters. "Man Hands" had several really nice - and timely - blocks that shut down the opponent's momentum.
- REBOUND CENTRAL One thing about the Bulldogs play tonight - they were going to live or die by the 3 during stretches of the game. But they were pretty good about shooting - and rather than watching their shot - cutting straight toward the basket to get a rebound. I saw two in a very short span - Jayden "J-Money" Pemberton and the aforementioned Paxton "Man Hands" Quinney - fire up a three pointer and cut to the basket to get their own rebound in the crowded paint. Great Hustle!
- SQUARED CIRCLE? I grew up loving the recorded promos from Macho Man Randy Savage as much as watching him in the wrestling ring. That being said, I did not expect to see Lawson "Slim Jim" Swint put in a choke hold and thrown on the ground over a rebound. I thought a wrestling match might follow - but Swint showed self control and didn't let the frustrated opponent get in his head. There better not be a next time - or Swint will have to "Snap him like a Slim Jim... Oh Yeah Brother!"
- CHEERLEADERS GET LOUD! Can we just give a slow clap for the cheerleaders?!?!?! Boy - they were loud down on the end of the court - and at one point - I thought their volume had to be distracting for the opposition shooting free throws! Great work ladies (and gentelemen) - I know you must be worn out after a long night of stomping and cheering! Strong work!
- STONE-FACED "Rattlesnake" Parker Rogers was the only freshman to see time in this tight first win - but he surely has earned those minutes. One of the most impressive parts of his game is his ability to not get rattled under pressure. There were at least two occasions late in the game where Monterey was desperately applying pressure, running legs got tangled, and Rogers and his defender went down hard. Oftentimes with young athletes, they get up angry, embarrassed, or make a huge scene. I was impressed that the Rattlesnake popped up without even the first hint of emotion and continued playing his game. Don't give them the satisfaction of getting angry! Keep it up!
- REBOUND CENTRAL One thing about the Bulldogs play tonight - they were going to live or die by the 3 during stretches of the game. But they were pretty good about shooting - and rather than watching their shot - cutting straight toward the basket to get a rebound. I saw two in a very short span - Jayden "J-Money" Pemberton and the aforementioned Paxton "Man Hands" Quinney - fire up a three pointer and cut to the basket to get their own rebound in the crowded paint. Great Hustle!
- SQUARED CIRCLE? I grew up loving the recorded promos from Macho Man Randy Savage as much as watching him in the wrestling ring. That being said, I did not expect to see Lawson "Slim Jim" Swint put in a choke hold and thrown on the ground over a rebound. I thought a wrestling match might follow - but Swint showed self control and didn't let the frustrated opponent get in his head. There better not be a next time - or Swint will have to "Snap him like a Slim Jim... Oh Yeah Brother!"
- CHEERLEADERS GET LOUD! Can we just give a slow clap for the cheerleaders?!?!?! Boy - they were loud down on the end of the court - and at one point - I thought their volume had to be distracting for the opposition shooting free throws! Great work ladies (and gentelemen) - I know you must be worn out after a long night of stomping and cheering! Strong work!
- STONE-FACED "Rattlesnake" Parker Rogers was the only freshman to see time in this tight first win - but he surely has earned those minutes. One of the most impressive parts of his game is his ability to not get rattled under pressure. There were at least two occasions late in the game where Monterey was desperately applying pressure, running legs got tangled, and Rogers and his defender went down hard. Oftentimes with young athletes, they get up angry, embarrassed, or make a huge scene. I was impressed that the Rattlesnake popped up without even the first hint of emotion and continued playing his game. Don't give them the satisfaction of getting angry! Keep it up!
Francis Goes Coast to Coast
Ian "Beast Coast" Francis showed off his quickness and grit in the 2nd quarter as he drove through a crowded lane firing up a very unlikely layup that fell to perfection. Where many would be comfortable admiring that outcome for a few seconds - Francis was the first Bulldog back down the floor to stop a Monterey breakaway. He packed that boy's lunch and sent him to school. To go from one end to the other for the score - and then back to the other end for a stellar block is more than going coast-to-coast... It's going BEAST COAST!
Rooftop Robinson Goes De Ja Vu in the 4th
Ian "Rooftop" Robinson continues to impress with his jumping ability. He runs a little hot, at times, with passion for the game... but when he settles in, he is extremely athletic. That athleticism showed up in an absolutely clutch couple of moments in the waning minutes of the game. The Bulldogs had been in the driver's seat all game long - but then toward the end, it started to feel like we were going to let Monterey back into the game. But then Wartburg scored, and Robinson intercepted the next inbound pass by Monterey for an immediate layup... and then intercepted the VERY NEXT INBOUND PASS... AGAIN... FOR ANOTHER IMMEDIATE LAYUP. That six point swing in the course of about 10 seconds at the end of the 4th quarter is what kept this one from getting away toward the end. Robinson's 8 points tied him for 2nd on the team with Johnny "Green Bean" Bingham... as they both trailed Captain Landon Quinney and his 14-point effort.
Great win tonight Bulldogs! It sure does look to be shaping up to be a good season of basketball in Wartburg! Congrats to the coaches and players - your hard work has paid off and will keep paying off! Keep grinding - we're just getting started!
Let's go Dogs!
