Mount
Pulaski falls to Porta 56-45 in the Bill Rucks Tournament
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[November 28, 2016]
Mount Pulaski knew they would
have their hands full in this one Friday night. Max Muller, a 6’5
senior for the Blue Jays, has been a scoring machine year after year
on the Hilltoppers and he just keeps getting better. Once he caught
fire Friday night, he dropped 25 points on the Hilltoppers, leading
his team to a 56-45 victory. At least he’s a senior and Mount
Pulaski won’t have to worry about facing him anymore as the two
teams no longer play each other in the regular season.
But wait, there’s another Muller in the scorebook. Little 6’5
brother, Mason, is a freshman and even appears to be a little taller
than his older brother.
Add in sophomore Tyler Minor, who scored 12 points Friday night and
Porta looks to be pretty solid for the next several years.
Mount Pulaski’s 6’8 junior Peyton Taylor gave the Muller boys and
Minor a run for their money though as he poured in 10 points and
pulled down 10 rebounds.
Six-foot senior Lukas Aylesworth managed to dodge the big boys in
the lane and score 12 points for Mount Pulaski in the losing effort.
Even though Mount Pulaski suffered the loss, the Hilltoppers played
another solid first half. Coming back from an early 8-3 deficit, the
Hilltoppers turned things around and managed an 11-10 first quarter
lead on a basket by Taylor.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/28/images/ads/current/burtonview_coop_sda_daily_farm_2016.png)
Ben Rathgeb’s three with 25.6 seconds on the clock turned the tide
in Porta’s favor, 13-11, and the first quarter scoring was in the
books.
The Blue Jays jumped out to a 17-14 second quarter lead but at the
4:52 mark senior Eli Griesheim nailed a three to tie the game. Max
Muller poured in Porta’s next four points to put the Blue Jays up
21-17 and then it was Mount Pulaski coming back to tied the score
again on Aylesworth’s bank shot in the lane.
Mount Pulaski even had a couple opportunities to take the lead but
failed to capitalize so Max and company took advantage of the
moment. Max Muller’s back to back threes closed out the second
quarter scoring and Porta’s lead was 30-23.
Mount Pulaski failed to make up any ground in the third quarter and
still trailed 43-36 going into the final eight minutes of play.
The closest Mount Pulaski would get in the fourth quarter would be
48-43 after Brandon Kretzinger knocked down a three at the 3:40
mark.
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![](../images/112316pics/sports7.jpg)
Gezus Oliver attempts a shot over Max Muller in
Friday night’s game of the Bill
Rucks Tournament. The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers fell to the Porta
Blue Jays 56-45.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/28/images/ads/current/lincoln_heating_lda_christmas_2015.png)
Again Mount Pulaski had a couple missed opportunities to get right
back in this one and the experienced Blue Jays capitalized again.
Max Muller hit a long three with 2:54 remaining and the Blue Jay
crowd roared with the lead now 51-43.
In the last two minutes of the ballgame, it appeared that Mount
Pulaski had more turnovers than points. Porta also shot 15 of 18
from the free throw line, while not a difference maker, but Mount
Pulaski was only 8 of 15 from the line.
Throw in a couple late game steals and Porta cruised quietly to a
56-45 win and punched their ticket to a championship matchup with
Decatur LSA tonight at 8 p.m.
Mount Pulaski will get the chance to play today at 5 p.m. vs.
Edinburg.
The other two games feature Tri-City taking on Calvary at 3:30 p.m.
and Central A & M plays Illini Central at 6:30 p.m.
Mount Pulaski scoring
Aylesworth 12
Taylor 10
Kretzinger 9
Griesheim 8
Oliver 6
Porta scoring
Max Muller 25
Minor 12
Nicholas 7
Toyne 4
Rathgeb 3
Leigh 3
Mason Muller 2
[Teena Lowery]
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