Nelson Warriors successfully hunt Stanton Elk

The Nelson Warriors' Men's Basketball team (10-9) turned a frenetic, high-octane battle into a second-half demolition, using their speed and un-rivaled athleticism to pull away for a resounding 99-79 victory over the bigger, physical Stanton Elks Thursday night at the Scott Activity Center.

The first half was pure chaos in the best way: fast breaks, contested shots, and bodies flying in every direction. Nelson played above the rim with flair, connecting on multiple alley-oops that regularly sent the standing room only crowd into a frenzy. Both teams traded haymakers, shooting the lights out: the Warriors at a scorching 58.1% from the field, Stanton a solid 48.0%. Nelson protected the ball beautifully, committing just 7 turnovers while racking up 13 assists on 18 made field goals, all of which added up to a narrow 42-38 halftime lead.

The second half was more of the same physical and occasionally out-of-control game, opening tight for the first five minutes, with Stanton refusing to back down despite Nelson's size disadvantage.

Then, behind head coach Kole Ebert's vaunted offensive schemes, the Warriors flipped the switch.

Around the 15:10 mark, with the Warriors' lead a scant 52-50, the Nelson offense finally erupted, and the Elks were left attempting to chase after a much faster prey. The run was explosive and efficient, highlighted by two dagger three-pointers from Zoe Holman with roughly ten minutes left swinging the game's momentum decisively, and for good. Shooting an astonishing 63.6% from the field in the half (a season-high for any 20-minute stretch), the Nelson men turned a one-possession game into a rout. A blistering 42-23 surge over the next 13 minutes pushed the lead to 94-73 with 2:16 remaining, which was about the time that both coaches respectively emptied their benches to let the reserves get in some run of their own.

The victory was highlighted by some incredible individual play from several of the team's most consistent and important scorers. Terrin Ross recorded his second double-double in three games, hitting 8-13 from the field for 20 points to go along with a game-high 10 rebounds. Orlando Gonzales and Wyatt Mackay each barely missed out on double-doubles of their own, with Orlando finishing with 7 points and 9 assists while Wyatt put up 10 points and 9 dimes.

"Everyone contributed tonight. Everyone filled the box score on both ends of the floor," commented a thrilled Kole Ebert. "I love looking up and down a score sheet after a game and seeing nearly no zeros at all, except the turnover column. We did a really good job taking care of the ball tonight too."

Zoe Holman led all-scorers with 24 points, nailing a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc, adding in 5 rebounds and 3 steals. While Calvin Windley led the truncated reserve unit, as coach Ebert went with a shorter 7-man rotation for most of the game, with 17 points and 4 rebounds.

The Elks were led in scoring by Nigel McKay, who finished with 24 points, tying Zoe Holman, and 4 assists.

With the win, the Warriors push past .500 and carry serious momentum into the heart of the schedule. This is the kind of statement performance that turns heads and builds belief.

Up next, the Warriors play host to visiting Westcliff on Saturday, January 17, at 5pm.

Do not forget to follow Nelson Athletics on X at @NelsonWarriors and Instagram at @nelsonwarriors.athletics.