Wayne holds off Pierce in Sweetland's final home game

By Eric McKay

WAYNE - The Wayne boys basketball team is sending their coach out a winner.

In Head Coach Rob Sweetland's last home regular season game, the Blue Devils built a 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, and held off a late Pierce rally for a 51-46 win over the Blue Jays.

The middle quarters were key, as Wayne took care of the ball and stayed selective offensively, flipping what had been a one-point deficit into a 39-27 lead after three.

But the Blue Jays wouldn't go away, trimming the lead with 6.4 seconds to go. But after an attempted steal by Ryder Theisen rolled out of bounds, Brody Munter flared behind the defense for a run-out layup and the five-point win.

The win was career victory no. 232 for Sweetland, who is retiring after this year.

The Blue Devils have beaten Pierce in six straight games.

GAME SUMMARY

PIERCE (16-8) - 11 10 6 19 - 46

WAYNE (12-12) - 10 18 11 12 - 51

TEAM STATS

WAYNE

• FG: 18/35 (51.4%)

• 3P: 7/19 (36.8%)

• FT: 8/12 (66.7%)

PIERCE

• FG: 17/37 (45.9%)

• 3P: 5/15 (33.3%)

• FT: 7/12 (58.3%)