By BRANDON HURLEY
Sports Editor
sports@beeherald.com
@BrandonJHurley
One of the top three-point shooting teams in the Rolling Valley Conference was rewarded for its efforts at the conclusion of the winter schedule.
Paton-Churdan’s Kaleb Fisher was honored with a second team, all conference distinction after leading the Rockets in scoring during the 2019-20 campaign.
Fisher was third in the RVC with 44 three-pointers made at a 34.4 percent clip, scoring an average of 12.1 points per game, which tied him for eighth in the league. The senior shot 40 percent overall from the field, swiping a team-best 38 steals (Bradyn Smith also collected 38 steals), which tied the duo for eighth in the RVC.
Fisher scored a season-high 26 points in the opening night loss against against Saydel, connecting on six of his 11 three point attempts while swiping five steals to go with three assists and three rebounds.
Boyer Valley’s Gavin Reineke led the league with 49 three-pointers made while Paton-Churdan’s Connor Brus was second with 45 long balls. Though P-C’s Jesse Knowles was left off the all conference lists, he was sixth in the league with 52 made free throws, connecting on them at a 74.3 percent clip. Exira-EHK’s Creighton Nelson led the league in scoring at 21 points per game, while Reineke was tops in the conference in steals with 60.
Paton-Churdan finished 5-17 overall this winter, losing its first round district game to Newell-Fonda, 76-23 back on Feb. 20. The Mustangs were 18-5 overall, eventually losing to Harris-Lake Park, 79-69 in the second round. Newell-Fonda’s defense was an absolute nightmare for the Rockets, as they corralled 22 steals while holding P-C to just nine second half points.
Newell-Fonda charged out to a 34-point halftime lead and never looked back.
Paton-Churdan, as a team, connected on the fourth-most three-pointers in the RVC this winter (121) at a respectable rate of 31.8 percent, which was the third best percentage in the league. They finished the RVC slate with a 3-13 record, which placed them eighth overall. Boyer Valley captured the league crown with a 15-1 record while CAM came in second at 13-3.