It is not often we go head-to-head with Willmar. We took on the "big town" Thursday in girls hoops action. It was not a night for the smaller town to surprise. No "Hoosiers" magic. Welcome to the real world. The Cardinals executed smoothly in their 57-30 win over the Tigers. We can accent that statement for second half play.
So now we're 2-2, having been dealt back-to-back losses after a 2-0 start. Willmar too is 2-2.
Some really big news in Tiger hoops this week, is Jackson Loge of the boys becoming the all-time leading scorer in the program. This could not have happened when I began my career at the Sun Tribune. At that time, the school's BBB program had a policy that only juniors and seniors could play varsity. To be honest, I could have cried about that.
I remember when Paul Libbon was coming up. I asked Bob Mulder directly if young Mr. Libbon might be promoted. "We don't do that here," the coach said in brusque fashion. That was then, this is now.
I invite you to read my current post about Jackson Loge from my "Morris of Course" blog. Quite the accomplishment for the son of Kevin. Here's the permalink. Thanks, God Bless and happy holidays. - BW
Amazingly, the MACA girls played dead-even with Willmar through the first half. So halftime arrived with a deadlocked score, 21-all. We led by as many as three. Hope for the second half? It faded. The Cardinals got the Tigers figured out and outscored us 36-9. A buzz saw. A friend tells me the Tigers were relatively competitive until the 10-12 minute mark of the second half.
"Then we could not buy a bucket and started to turn the ball over."
No one with the Tigers finished the game in double figures scoring. Meredith Carrington scored nine and made our only three-pointer. Maddy Grove put in eight points. Others: Lakia Manska 4, Shannon Dougherty 3, Kaylee Harstad 2 and Cate Kehoe 2. Lakia is pronounced la-KY-a. (The individual scoring totals from the Willmar paper's website add up to 28 points, not 30, sorry.)
Our shooting stat: 26 percent. In 3's the story was a dismal one-for-12.
The Cardinals had two in double figures: Ella Shinn 13 and Jaida Reiman 10. The two were complemented by: Kenedee Salonek 9, Sammy Christopher 8, Ellary Lange 5, Brielle Ogdahl 4, Zoe Schroeder 3, Grace Haugen 2, Maycee Gustafson 2 and Telilie Lange 1.
Four Cardinals each made one 3-pointer: Lange, Schroeder, Salonek and Reiman. Schroeder and Shinn each had six rebounds. Christoffer dished out five assists. Haugen and Shinn each had four steals. Christoffer and Schroeder each blocked a shot.
The game was played in Willmar.
Let's say we showed a "Hoosiers" look for one half of play. This is not to be discounted.
New London-Spicer 84, Tigers 55
This past week was indeed challenging for the GBB Tigers: New London-Spicer on the slate in addition to "big school" Willmar. It is a constant in life that the Wildcats are solid in girls hoops. Yes, rather dynastic.
The Wildcats lived up to the reputation on Tuesday. Fans at our Tiger Center watched. Unlike Willmar, the Wildcats would not need time to find their stride. Coach Mike Dreier had them in stride from the get-go. So the halftime score was 46-16 - yawn - Wildcats in driver's seat. In the end the score was 84-55.
So let's look at the stats where we see Maddy Grove as a bright spot with 25 points. Sydney Dietz put in nine, then we see Meredith Carrington with seven and Lakia Manska with six. Four Tigers each put in two: Cate Kehoe, Hannah Schutz, Shannon Dougherty and Kaylee Harstad.
Manska drilled two 3-point shots. Carrington, Grove and Dietz each made one long-ranger.
There are three "Rich" girls on the NL-Spicer roster: Avery, Dakota and Courtney. Avery was atop the team scoring list Tuesday with 26 points. Jaden Coahran was second-high with 18, then we see Dakota Rich with 12. Continuing: Delaney Hanson 7, Brooke Adelman 5, Kaylee Thorson 4, Ellary Peterson 4, Courtney Rich 4, Zoe Arnold 2 and Katelynn Tortorella 2.
Coahran and Avery Rich each buried four 3-point shots. Courtney Rich and Adelman found the range from 3-point distance also. Aubrey Schneider and Hanson co-led in rebounds with six each. Avery Rich and Hanson co-led in assists, each with four. Avery Rich picked up eight steals to lead. Schneider blocked two shots.
A "rich" team indeed.
Boys: Tigers 43, Litchfield 32
It wasn't pretty but the orange and black ascended to 4-0 in the young season. Fortunately the team applied the clamps on defense. This offset our cool 32 per cent shooting stat. We put up plenty of three-point attempts but plenty were bricks: we were five of 20.
But defense can solve a lot of things. So that attribute helped lead us to our 43-32 win at home over the Dragons. We crept out to a four-point lead by halftime. Then our defense really came to the fore. Whatever it takes.
The Tigers are ranked fourth in Minnesota. Jackson Loge was team-high in scoring, though he didn't burn the nets on this night. He scored 14. Other point totals: Thomas Tiernan 9, Brandon Jergenson 8, Cole Wente 4, Sam Kleinwolterink 4, Durgin Decker 3 and Tyler Berlinger 1.
Jergenson was two of seven beyond the 3-point arc. Wente, Tiernan and Loge each made one '3'.
The story in freethrows was 12 of 18. Loge sank five of seven from the charity stripe. (I haven't used the "charity stripe" term in ages.) Tiernan and Jergenson were each two of two.
Loge accounted for 15 of our 33 rebounds. Decker collected six rebounds. Loge performed two assists of our team total seven. Wente had two steals of our team total five. We turned the ball over seven times. Loge blocked two shots.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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