Tristan Aho, Charlie Hodge and Wade Berttunen combined to score 52 points as the Menahga boys basketball team snapped a five-game losing streak with a 68-62 Park Region Conference victory over Bertha-Hewitt at Bertha on Friday, Jan. 31.
The Braves expanded a 35-24 halftime lead to 62-40 before holding off a late rally by Bertha-Hewitt.
Bertha-Hewitt hit three 3-pointers to take a 19-10 lead before the Braves rallied. A 3-pointer and a layup by Aho, a putback and four free throws by Berttunen, and a 3-pointer by Devan Leritz gave Menahga a 25-22 lead. A 3-pointer by Hodge and a layup by Berttunen provided a 35-24 halftime lead.
Hodge hit a jumper, two 3-pointers and a layup while Aho had two layups to open the second half. Layups by Jonah Howard, Brock Berttunen and Wade Berttunen along with a 3-pointer by Jared Tolkkinen pushed the lead to 62-40 with 6:55 to play. The Bears rallied by hitting 10 free throws to make it 65-60, but two free throws by Hodge helped seal the win.
Aho (19), Hodge (17) and Wade Berttunen (16) scored in double figures for the Braves. Wade Berttunen and Howard had seven rebounds each while Aho and Brock Berttunen had six rebounds apiece. Wade Berttunen dished out five assists while Aho had four assists and joined Hodge with three steals as Menahga made 24 of 37 free throws to improve to 4-4 in conference play and 7-10 overall. The Braves defeated B-H 75-31 on Dec. 10.
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Austin Bauch had 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Bears fell to 0-8 in the conference and 1-15 overall.
MENAHGA: Hodge 5 4-6 17, T. Aho 5 10-14 19, Howard 2 3-7 7, W. Berttunen 5 6-8 16, B. Berttunen 1 1-2 3, Tolkkinen 1 0-0 3, V. Aho 0 0-0 0, Leritz 1 0-0 3. Totals: 19 for 48 (FG), 24 for 37 (FT).
BERTHA-HEWITT: Rach 0 3-3 3, Weishalla 2 4-7 9, Kirscht 1 2-2 5, L. Adams 4 2-2 11, Wachlin 5 0-1 10, A. Bauch 9 2-4 20, Kimber 1 0-1 2, B. Adams 1 0-2 2. Totals: 23 for 52 (FG), 13 for 22 (FT).
Halftime: Menahga 35, B-H 24. Three-pointers: Hodge 3, T. Aho 1, Tolkkinen 1, Leritz 1, Weishall 1, Kirscht 1, L. Adams 1. Team fouls: Menahga 16, B-H 25. Rebounds: Menahga 36 (W. Berttunen 7, Howard 7, T. Aho 6, B. Berttunen 6, V. Aho 4, Hodge 3, Leritz 2, Tolkkinen 1). Assists: Menahga 10 (W. Berttunen 5, T. Aho 4, B. Berttunen 1). Steals: Menahga 13 (T. Aho 3, Hodge ,3 Howard 2, Tolkkinen 2, W. Berttunen 1, B. Berttunen 1, Leritz ). Blocked shots: Menahga 4 (B. Berttunen 2, T. Aho 1, Leritz 1). Turnovers: Menahga 21, B-H 23.
