Hoops: Boys thump P-ville, girls down Benson

Boys: Tigers 66, Paynesville 29

There was no suspense in the MACA boys' Tuesday, Jan. 8, game at Paynesville. The game had a blow-out look from the very early stages.

How much so? The score at halftime was 24-5. The eventual 66-29 victory was No. 5 in the conference for coach Mark Torgerson's boys.

It was a young Bulldog team that looked outmanned in the first half. Coach Torgerson lauded his team on its defense. Meanwhile the Bulldogs struggled with their shooting eye.

The orange and black entered mid-week with a 5-0 conference record.

The Tigers had eleven points on the board before the green-clad host could manage its first points. The Tigers allowed only two field goals and a freethrow in that decisive first half.

Logan Manska continues to impress with his shooting eye. Again he looked poised putting up 3's. The guard had two such long-rangers in the first half.
Austin Dierks made sure the Tigers' inside game would be well-oiled. He and Lincoln Berget connected for several inside baskets in first half play. Dierks scored nine of his team-best 13 points in the first half.

Fans must have wondered how much incentive the Tigers would have, coming out for second half play. The second half proved to be more high-scoring for both teams. Was that by design? The Tigers punched down the accelerator to put in 42 points. Paynesville got untracked somewhat to score 24.

The second half was a share the wealth proposition for Tiger scoring. In all, eleven of the orange and black members put in points, as Morris Area Chokio Alberta worked to actually increase its lead. By night's end every roster member showed up in the scoring column - a real delight.

Several Tigers put the ball through the twine from three-point range. There was no letup on defense either. The Tigers suffocated a Bulldog team that had four sophomore starters and one junior. None of the Bulldogs scored in double figures. Andrew Topp led them with eight points.

For MACA it was the rangy Dierks leading in scoring with 13. Manska's 3's helped elevate him to eleven. Tyler Henrichs sprang from the bench to make timely contributions. His night's scoring output was nine points. Post man Berget also finished with nine.

The Tigers attacked the boards with far more success than the green crew, owning a 34-16 advantage in rebounds. Dierks vacuumed the boards for ten rebounds and Berget for eight.

The 20 team assists certainly spelled "teamwork." Jacob Torgerson dished out six of these while fellow guard Chandler Erickson had five.

Erickson was a terror stealing the basketball. He posted a team/season high of six. Coach Torgerson singled out senior point guard Erickson for special defensive kudos.

John Tiernan scored seven points. Bryce Jergenson had four, followed by Beau Keimig, Erickson and Torgerson each with three, while Aaron Goulet and Marcus Cannon each put in two.

The Tigers made seven of 17 attempts from three-point distance. Manska finished the night with three makes while four of his mates each made one: Keimig, Henrichs, Torgerson and Erickson.

In total field goals the Tigers were 28 of 61. In freethrows: three of nine. Berget and Dierks each blocked a shot.

 

Girls basketball: Tigers 59, Benson 35

The MACA girls worked to pick up their win No. 7 Thursday night (1/10) on the road.

The Tigers knew they'd have to overcome productive Benson scorer Emma Peterson. You can't expect to hold down this Brave completely. She in fact made noise with her scoring talent Thursday, with 23 points, but MACA had enough weapons to overcome.

Scoring balance was one of those weapons. Nine different Tigers put in points. The charge was led by Tracy Meichsner whose output was 12 points along with seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Joining her in double figures was Katie Holzheimer with eleven points and five rebounds.

MaKenzie Smith and Becca Holland each scored eight points. Beth Holland and Nicole Strobel each put in six. Abby Olson scored four points, and Moira McNally and Cassey Hickman two each.

The final score was 59-35.

Holzheimer made all three of the Tigers' successful three-pointers. The team was an efficient three of five in that category. In total field goals they were 25 of 58. Freethrows: six of 12.

Meichsner and Olson each had seven rebounds to lead. Holzheimer collected five boards.

Peterson had her usual prominent spot in the Benson scoring list. The next highest scorer, Hannah Ricard, had four points. Peterson and Alexa Nissen each made a '3' for the Braves. Benson was a cool two of 13 here. Peterson led Benson in three other categories too: rebounds (11), assists (3) and steals (5).

Coach Dale Henrich's Tigers built a 30-12 lead at halftime. He has to be happy about the 7-4 record his team owns. Benson came out of the night at 5-8.

 

Girls: Pelican Rapids 51, Tigers 43

The Korf girls, Mackenzie and Madison, were smooth in scoring at the expense of our MACA girls hoops squad Tuesday (1/8). This was a matchup of winning teams. Both were comfortably over .500, Pelican Rapids especially so.

Pelican Rapids came here with an 8-1 record and left at 9-1. The Tigers had a still quite good 6-4 mark.

Mackenzie and Madison Korf scored 34 points between them in this 51-43 win for Pelican Rapids.

The Tigers trailed by just two points at halftime, 23-21.

Mackenzie Korf scored 21 points in this contest, Madison 13. Each made one 3-pointer.

Katie Holzheimer made two 3-pointers for the orange and black. Becca Holland had the other '3' as MACA posted three of ten numbers in this category. In total field goals the MACA numbers were 15 of 52. In freethrows: ten of 15.

Holzheimer was the only Tiger achieving double figures scoring with her ten points. Then we have the Holland sisters: Beth with her eight points and Becca with seven. Continuing with the list are Nicole Strobel with six, and a trio of Tigers each with four: MaKenzie Smith, Tracy Meichsner and Kaitlin Vogel.

Smith and Strobel each vacuumed the boards for six rebounds. The assists were spread around as four Tigers each had three: Becca Holland, Holzheimer, Meichsner and Strobel.

Becca was aggressive on the court, stealing the ball five times.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com