SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Yellowjacket men's basketball team and the Ripon Red Hawks faced off inside the Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium Saturday. On Wednesday Ripon picked up the first win of its season against an impressive No. 18 Carthage College squad by a 76-71 decision and sought out their second victory of the season in Superior.
 
The Yellowjackets had other plans, as they picked up a 71-65 victory for their fifth-consecutive decision in the 2023-24 season.
 
It took both teams a bit to find their footing in the first half of play, but Ripon opened the scoring with a jumper from Kolby Williams. Roughly two minutes later Joey Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) hit a jumper of his own, which was followed by a shot beyond the arc to give the 'Jackets a 5-2 edge. Josef Fahrenholtz (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) earned his first points of the evening with a three-point shot, which was quickly followed up by a jumper from former Yellowjacket Jayden Fitch (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek).
 
Teams traded back-and-forth blows throughout the middle of the first half and Barker hit another three-pointer to bring UWS within one point at 17-16. J'Vaun Walker (Rosharon, Texas/Manvel) would hit a pair of free throws to give the Yellowjackets a one-point edge before sophomore Superior native Evan Bennett (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) entered the game and hit a pair of shots from the line as well. The Yellowjackets continued the offensive with jumpers inside the paint from Andrew Beers (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) and T.J. Moberg (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park), who boosted their lead to 28-19 heading into the break.
 
The Red Hawks came out of halftime and scored eight-unanswered points before Reid Johnson (Chatfield, Minn./Chatfield) scored his first three-pointer of the game. Johnson would find his groove and finished another three-pointer, which was followed by a fastbreak jumper from Joey Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) who boosted the 'Jackets to 38-31.
 
Teams traded shots for a while until Luke Meinholz drained a three to knot things even at 50-50. Walker took a jump shot within the paint and Bennett hit a key three-pointer to kick the 'Jackets ahead 55-50.  Fahrenholtz would drain both free-throw opportunities before Moberg, Bennett and Barker would all drain shots that would give them a 71-65 victory, their fifth-straight win in five games.
 
Walker and Barker led the offensive charge for UWS, with Walker scoring 10 of his 19 points from the free throw line (10-11). Barker picked up 14 points and had six boards. Walker and Fahrenholtz also came up with seven rebounds on the evening.
 
UW-Superior will have a two-week span without any games, playing UW-Stevens Point Dec 2. Tipoff will take place at 3 p.m. inside Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium.