LA CROSSE — Aquinas High School senior Trey Bahr caught the inbounds pass and contemplated his next move as Onalaska’s zone defense gave him plenty of space outside the 3-point line.
He held the ball and surveyed the court, then held the ball and surveyed again. The defense didn’t move, so he eyed up the basket and knocked down a key 3-pointer in what became a 59-51 victory over the Hilltoppers at the Reinhart Athletic Complex on Tuesday.
Bahr’s 3-pointer pushed the Blugolds’ lead to two possessions with 4 minutes, 6 seconds on the clock and was the start of an 11-4 run that ended the game and pushed Aquinas (16-2, 6-2) into sole possession of the MVC lead.
“To have the confidence to step up and make the play is a testament to a senior who wants it,” Aquinas coach Brad Reinhart said of Bahr, who scored 17 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to help the Blugolds salvage a regular-season split with Onalaska. “He’s a competitor, he wants to win, and he’s going to make those plays.”
It was Bahr’s only 3-pointer of the night, but it started a bit of a tailspin for the Hilltoppers (13-6, 5-4), who have lost two games in a row after a setback at Central on Saturday.
Junior Logan Becker hit a jumper in the lane on the Blugolds’ next possession, and Onalaska missed 6 of its final 7 shots.
“It was supposed to go to Logan, and Logan’s obviously a much better shooter than me,” Bahr said of the inbounds play that resulted in his 3-pointer. “They just faded back, and it was goin’ up. It looked good and went in.
“It made it a two-possession game and gave us energy as we went back on defense. It felt good.”
The Hilltoppers led 28-22 after one half, the teams exchanged the lead three times early in the second half.
Freshman Tyler Kowal knocked down all three free throws when he was fouled on an attempt from beyond the line to tie the game at 45 with 5:47 left. Aquinas sophomore Calvin Bahr then hit a 3 at the other end to put the Blugolds in front for good.
Calvin Bahr added 16 points and Becker nine for Aquinas, and Jack Smith and Ian Kowal each scored 11 to pace Onalaska. Brendan Chenault added eight.
The victory gives the Blugolds a half-game lead over second-place Central (10-5, 5-2) and Holmen (13-4, 5-2). The Hilltoppers are a game-and-a-half back and in fourth place.
