BOYS BASKETBALL: Hoibergs Shine For Pius X In Victory Over Grand Island

LINCOLN–(KFOR Feb. 19)–Going up against one of the top recruits in the country for the Class of 2022 didn’t phase the Class A No. 4 Lincoln Pius X boys basketball team on Friday night.

The Thunderbolts did all they could to contain Grand Island’s 6-9 junior forward and nationally ranked prospect Isaac Traudt, who scored 26 points in the game, but Pius X got help on offense from Sam and Charlie Hoiberg in the second half to earn a 74-53 victory over the Islanders, in a game heard on KFOR.

The Thunderbolts finish the regular season at 17-2 and got a team-high 15 points from Sam Hoiberg, while Charlie Hoiberg scored 12 points, all of which came in the second half and from three-point range.  Pius X’s 6-6 junior forward Sam Hastreiter added 11 points in the win.

Luke Taubenheim, who scored nine points, got the Thundertbolts on the board just two minutes into the game when he was fouled while scoring a layup and completing the three-point play.  Pius X led 13-8 heading into the second quarter.

The Islanders (12-10) got as close as 18-14 midway through the second quarter, off back to back baskets from Traudt.  Following a Pius X time out, the Thunderbolts outscored the Islanders 13-7 to take a 31-21 halftime lead.

Pius X outscored Grand Island 22-10 in the third quarter, when the Thunderbolts hit five three-pointers (three from Charlie Hoiberg) and led 53-31 entering the fourth quarter.  Defensively, Pius X forced 16 Grand Island turnovers and made it tough for the Islanders to find Traudt to score.  Some of those forced turnovers resulted in transition baskets for the ‘Bolts.

Grand Island got 10 points from 6-6 junior Dylan Sextro.