Birthday boy Schramm gives ’Jackets a spark
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PARKERSBURG --Birthday boy Parker Schramm did everything except blow out the candles.
The freshman from Williamstown High School celebrated turning 15 years old by scoring the Yellowjackets first 12 points of the game and providing the boost for an 89-27 win at Parkersburg Catholic High School on Wednesday night.
Schramm finished with 14 points and was one of four Yellowjackets to score in double figures. Payton Bunch led Williamstown (7-2) with 16 points, including 14 in a 36-point third quarter. Bunch and the rest of the Yellowjackets' contingent of reserves contributed 49 points to the offensive output.
"We told the guys we would do a bit of platooning this game -- we put them in there because we trust them," Williamstown coach Scott Sauro said. "The one thing we have as a strength on our team is quality depth , and it kind of showed tonight."
With the game tied at 3, Schramm knocked down three straight 3-pointers as part of a 30-0 run which covered 9 1/2 minutes. The margin of victory marked the largest for the Yellowjackets this season and the lowest point total allowed. The previous low was 34 points as Williamstown doubled up on Tolsia in the second game of the season.
"Tonight, I might just have some friends over (to celebrate my birthday)," Schramm said following the win.
"(At the start of the game), my teammates just found me at the right time on those 3-pointers. That's happened a lot this season."
Guiding Parkersburg Catholic (0-9) in the scoring column was Charley Sumney with 16 points om three 3-pointers. Crusader point guard Blake Lewis added six points.
"We have a young team -- young and inexperienced," PCHS coach Daniel Collie said. "We have kids with not a lot of basketball experience playing hours of travel ball, hours of fall ball, hours of spring and summer league.
"It's a big learning curve, but with a number of kids we have seen a a big improvement curve. That's all we can ask. For the remainder of the season we just want to make one step up. We're looking to keep a competitive game for four quarters. Competing is not about what the scoreboard says. Rather, it's about the effort the kids give."
Ranked No. 3 in Class AA, Williamstown now has its work cut out beginning with Friday's game at home against Wirt County followed by a 3 p.m. affair against Huntington St. Joe -- also scheduled for Williamstown High School. Wirt County took Williamstown to overtime in a 55-53 loss earlier this season at Elizabeth.
"We have two quality teams we are playing this weekend -- we have to make sure we have a focused practice Thursday," Sauro said. "
Williamstown took a 42-13 lead into halftime. After Sumney's free throw opened the second half scoring, the Yellowjackets went on another lengthy scoring run and increased the gap to 66-14 with three minutes still remaining in the third quarter. By the end of the game, seven different players accounted for Williamstown's 11 3-pointers.
"On the first play of the game offensively, Nathan Brunny caught it, made a move right to the basket, got fouled and went to the foul line," Collie said. "Brunny is one of those players who has made big improvements. Earlier this year, he wasn't doing that, so that is an immediate visual improvement. He is going to grow into a good-sized kid, so if he can contiunue doing that for the next two to three years, he can become a good player.
Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com