Vandals look to build off loss at Litchfield

LITCHFIELD – After a lackluster three quarters of basketball, Vandalia coach Brian Buscher decided to make a change.

He didn’t switch his lineup, opting instead to try to show his starters the type of effort they need to bring to all games.

The Vandals put on a full-court press defense in the fourth quarter of last Friday’s nonconference game, despite trailing by 32 points going to the final period of an 80-53 loss at Litchfield.

“We made a decision to go with a full-court press, and get after it while subbing often,” Buscher said. “I said, ‘What do we have to lose? Go as hard as you can and see what you have.

“That’s not the style we can play for 32 minutes, but we have to learn to bring that effort for 32 minutes.”

Vandalia (2-6) forced six turnovers in those eight minutes – more than they had forced in the previous three quarters – but the Purple Panthers (9-1) had little trouble continuing to score, adding 16 more points.

Junior Wade Harre had a team-high 11 points for the Vandals, who also got 10 points and eight rebounds from senior Colton Woolsey, nine points from junior Luke Hollinshead and eight from senior Jake Shulman.

But four Purple Panthers would score in double figures, led by Austin Bryant’s 19 and Cooper Scharf’s 17.

Litchfield opened the game with 20 points in the first quarter to take an 11-point lead, and extended the lead to 19 by halftime.

“We didn’t play well. We didn’t play hard,” Buscher said. “Litchfield is a pretty good team, but we made them look better than they are.

“I told them at halftime, ‘I don’t doubt that you think you’re playing hard … but you have more to give.”

Litchfield, however, did as well, scoring 23 points in the third period, while holding the Vandals to just 10.

For the game, Litchfield shot 55 percent from the field, including a 7-for-11 mark on 3-pointers, to win its fifth straight game and send Vandalia to its fourth straight loss.

Buscher said that he hopes this loss will be the one that shows his players that for wins to come, changes need to be made.

“We have to keep getting better,” Buscher said. “Everybody wants to be successful.

“We are always trying to help them be successful, but they have to help themselves,” he said. “They have to learn that if they make a mistake once, they can’t do it again, and that if they play hard, they can win ballgames.”

The Vandals will host Litchfield on Jan. 31 for the South Central Conference matchup.

Box score
Friday, Dec. 20
Litchfield 80
Vandalia 53
V: 9-13-10-21—53
L: 20-21-23-16—80
Points: Harre, 11; Woolsey, 10; Hollinshead, 9; Shulman, 8; Collin Nestleroad, 5; Robby Lott, 4; Austin Durbin, 2; Colin Ledbetter, 2; Carson Smith, 2.
Rebounds: Woolsey, 8; Team, 6; Hollinshead, 5; Nestleroad, 4; Harre, 3; Durbin, 2; Lott, 2; Smith, 2; Ledbetter, 1; Shulman, 1.
Assists: Nestleroad, 3; Woolsey, 3; Durbin, 2; Smith, 2; Harre, 1.
Steals: Durbin, 4; Nestleroad, 2; Woolsey, 2; Ledbetter, 1; Lott, 1.
Blocks: Harre, 1; Hollinshead, 1; Woolsey, 1.
Record: 2-6