Wendling Scores 31 as Chargers Set Up Showdown for 1st Place
Aaron Frey
Thursday, February 15, 2018 11:56 PM
Athletics
Moline, IL
Matt Wendling poured in a game-high 31 points as the Carl Sandburg College men’s basketball team ran away from Black Hawk 82-70 on Thursday, setting up a showdown next week with first place in the Arrowhead Conference on the line.
The Chargers (19-8, 6-1) won their fifth in a row and for the ninth time in their last 10 games to stay a game back of Highland (7-0) in the Arrowhead standings with two games to play. The Chargers, in search of their first conference championship since 1990, host the Cougars at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday with a chance to move into a first-place tie. A Highland victory would give it the outright conference title.
But first, the Chargers had to take care of business against the Braves on the road. Sandburg started off scorching, scoring the game’s first 11 points and holding Black Hawk without a field goal for the first 6:15. The Braves, though, came back to take a lead late in the first half before the Chargers went into the locker room up 36-31.
Wendling’s hot shooting helped Sandburg pull away in the second half as he threatened to eclipse his career high of 34 points he put up Jan. 6 against Robert Morris-Peoria.
After hosting Highland on Tuesday, the Chargers will have two more home games to close out the regular season. Sandburg will face Kishwaukee at 7:30 p.m. Thursday — with Sophomore Night festivities taking place prior to the game — and the Chargers will wrap things up against Robert Morris-Springfield at 7:30 p.m. Friday before opening the Region IV tournament.