NEW BREMEN – Two weeks removed from their first ever state football title the New Bremen Cardinals kicked off their 2020-21 basketball season with a comeback 38-27 victory over visiting Celina on Friday evening at The Nest.
Celina jumped out to an early 8-0 lead in the first quarter as Josh Rasawehr, Quinn Andrew, and Jack Duncan raced from end to end over the course of a minute and a half span to help the Bulldogs build a big advantage.
Though unable to score for the nearly first seven minutes of the stanza the Cardinals finally reached the scoreboard with 1:50 before the quarter break on a Reece Busse basket and pulled even closer at 8-4 on a hoop by David Homan but trailed at the buzzer 10-4 thanks to a third make by Rasawehr.
New Bremen continued to chip away at the lead in the second period behind Homan and junior Trevor Bergman as the duo each connected on a shot from beyond the arc to cut the lead to three on both occasions. Celina’s Andrew connected on a three point goal of his own to help the visitors to a 15-13 halftime advantage.
Both teams battled and began to find a bit of offensive explosion in the third quarter as Busse gave the Cardinals their first lead of the game just :29 into the period at 16-15 on his first shot of the second half. Despite the New Bremen offense going on a run to take a five point lead at 20-15 in the middle of the quarter, the Bulldogs scratched back to even at 22-22 with just :14 remaining in the period on a split of free throws by junior Dylan Fiester that represented the first free throws attempted in the game for his team.
Sophomore David Homan added to his own personal lore in New Bremen sports history to end the third quarter as he buried a pull-up three pointer that sent the Cardinals into the final eight minutes with a 25-22 lead.
Though the big scorer for the Bulldogs in the opening half with an eight point and five rebound performance, Josh Rasawehr would be held to just five points in the second half with all of his markers coming in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for Celina, those points would be all they would score in the last period.
Reece Busse, the highest returning scorer and 2nd team MAC selection from last season exploded in the fourth quarter for eight of his game high 17 points by knocking down a three pointer and all three of his free throws. Coupled with a basket by David Homan the duo of Nick Alig and Daniel Homan hit three of their four fourth quarter free throws to help secure the 38-27 opening night victory.
Celina (1-1) was led in scoring by Josh Rasawehr who ended the night with 13 points and eight rebounds. The Bulldogs will be in action next Friday night as they travel to Shawnee for the opening game of the Western Buckeye League season.
New Bremen (1-0) was paced by 17 from Busse and 12 from David Homan and will continue their four game opening season homestand next Friday evening when MAC foe Minster rides down State Route 66 to visit The Nest.
Box Score:
New Bremen (38):
Trevor Bergman 6
Nick Alig 2
Reece Busse 17
David Homan 12
Daniel Homan 1
FG: 14/47
3PT: 5/25 (Busse 2, David Homan 2, Bergman)
FT: 7/10
REB: 26 (10 Offensive – David Homan 7)
TO: 10
Celina (27):
Jack Duncan 2
Reeves Black 2
Quade Gilmore 2
Dylan Feister 3
Quinn Andrew 5
Josh Rasawehr 13
FG: 12/32
3PT: 1/11 (Andrew)
FT: 2/4
REB: 30 (6 Offensive – Rasawehr 8)
TO: 20
JV: New Bremen 54-27