Back-to-back wins to end 2023.

That was the goal Friday night for Jake Witthaus’ Hermann Bearcats on the road in Mokane against South Callaway’s Bulldogs.

Trailing 31-28 at halftime, Hermann fell behind 43-37 after three quarters before ultimately coming out on the wrong side of a 55-48 final score.

Scoring 13 of Hermann’s 28 first-half points, Nolan Brune led the Bearcats with a team-high 15 points.

Just missing double digits with nine points for Hermann were John Hiatt, Easton Stiers and Daeden Hopkins.

Coulter Schwartze rounded out the Bearcat scoring against South Callaway with six points.

Adam Loucks led the host Bulldogs with a game-high 29 points.

Tayber Gray also reached double figures in scoring with 11 points for the Bulldogs while also surpassing 1,000 points for his high school basketball career.

Drew Lansford’s Hermann JV Bearcats went into halftime of their Friday-night contest in Mokane with a slim 27-25 halftime lead.

Thanks to a 21-3 third-quarter run, Hermann turned a 48-28 lead after three quarters into a 61-37 road victory over South Callaway’s JV Bulldogs.

Myles Stiers and Aiden Eikermann led four JV Bearcats in double figures with 16 points each.

Kohlt Witthaus added 14 points which included a perfect 6-6 night from the free-throw line.

Rounding out the double-digit scoring quartet for Hermann was Ryker Ash netting seven of his 12 points in the first half.

Tayven Hopkins rounded out the JV Bearcat scoring with a third-quarter 3-pointer for three points against South Callaway.

Witthaus’ Bearcats opened 2024 last night (Tuesday) on the road at Washington High School against the Blue Jays in a Highway 100 hardwood showdown.