Boys Basketball: Pirates Winners of 4 Straight

By Kevin Yoder  

Last week Hudson welcomed two more formidable foes to the Pirate Ship, and both left  with another tally in their loss column.  

Wapsie Valley was the first to face their fate on Tuesday night. The 12-5 Warriors were  ranked as high as #2 in Class 1A earlier this season, so it would take another supreme effort  from the home team.  

The game started as others have, with baskets hard to come by and defense  dominating the day. Wapsie featured the NICL’s leading scorer in Briggs Boehme, and he was  able to knock a couple shots down, propelling Wapsie to an 11-8 advantage after one quarter.  

But Hudson began to clamp down on the Warriors and in the second quarter only  allowed two made shots. The Pirates didn’t score a lot themselves, but enough to take a 17-15  lead to the halftime locker room.  

The third quarter continued the pace of the first half, and Hudson was only able to  extend their lead by one heading to the final eight minutes.  

But the fourth quarter is winning time, and Hudson has been able to play their best  down the stretch. The Pirates are second in the NICL in free throw percentage, and made free  throws put this game on ice. Shooting 12/16 from the line, including a key 4/4 from Jackson  Nesteby late, allowed Hudson to extend their lead to double digits and ultimately walk away  with a 53-40 victory.  

Tade Roberts finished with 14, while Anderson Yoder tallied 11 and Nesteby counted  those four free throws as part of a nine-point night.  

With three straight upsets on their resume, Friday night brought the 7-10 Dike-New  Hartford Wolverines to town. The Pirates dropped a 50-41 decision to DNH back in December,  so despite being the favorite this time around, determination was high to avenge that loss.  

It was Senior Night in Hudson, and the boys basketball team recognized senior  managers Bridget Hansen and Desi Lang, along with the lone member of the basketball team,  Anderson Yoder.  

Yoder missed that first matchup recovering from finger surgery, so the Pirates were  brimming with confidence with a roster at full strength.  

Defense was again the name of the game, as both teams played physical basketball.  For the second straight game, Hudson trailed after the first quarter, this time 10-8. It wasn’t  until Yoder knocked down the first, and only, three-point basket of the game right before half,  that Hudson assumed control.  

A three point halftime lead expanded to seven after the third. Yoder did the bulk of his  damage in the first half, and gave way to Tade Roberts as he took control of the game in the  second. The Pirates finished the game on a 10-0 run and locked down a 44-32 win. Yoder  finished with 17 points, 5 boards and 4 steals on his senior night. Roberts matched his total  with his own 17, paired with 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.  

Four consecutive wins put the Pirates at 10-6 on the season, with seven wins in their  last nine games. Hudson senior guard Anderson Yoder loves the growth of this team, and is  excited about where they sit with postseason brackets soon to be released.  

“I love how this team is playing right now,” he began. “Each and every night we gain  more confidence, especially by winning games against good competition. We enjoy every day  we are with each other and the bond is special. The pieces are coming together at the right  time of the year and we are looking to continue the success.”  

The Pirates have three road games this week, which started Tuesday at Sumner Fredericksburg, and continues Friday in Grundy Center and Saturday night at South Hardin.