Ten Best: Dyersville Beckman (61) at Solon (63) (OT)
Solon moved to 5-1 with the overtime win Solon 63, Dyersville Beckman 61 (OT) A more aggressive mentality and more patient offense helped lead Solon to a key WaMaC East win over Dyersville Beckman on Friday night, 63-61, in overtime.…
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Continue ReadingSolon 63, Dyersville Beckman 61 (OT)
A more aggressive mentality and more patient offense helped lead Solon to a key WaMaC East win over Dyersville Beckman on Friday night, 63-61, in overtime.
Trailing 25-21 at the half, Solon came out much more aggressive, getting to the rim in the second half after settling for a lot of mid-range jumpers during the first 16 minutes. The Spartans started the third quarter with a 14-6 run to take a 35-31 lead, and extended that to as big as seven, 40-33, before the end of the quarter.
Beckman quickly responded to start the fourth quarter, tying the game back up with just under six minutes to play, and the game was back-and-forth for the rest of regulation. Tied at 52 with 7.6 seconds left, Beckman had a chance for the win, but were unable to get a shot off, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime was much of the same, both teams going back-and-forth. With just under a minute to play, Luke Schaekenbach stepped to the line and hit a pair of free throws for Solon, giving them a 62-61 lead. Mitch Gehling was called for a charge on the ensuing possession, and then fouled out on the next Solon possession. Zach Cusick went 1-for-2 from the stripe, giving Solon a 63-61 lead with 17.1 to play. Out of the timeout, Beckman was never able to get a good shot off, as Solon played outstanding defense, taking Riley LeGrand out of the play and clinching the win.
Solon (5-1) was led by Jacob Coons, who had 15 points and nine rebounds. Ben Krutzfeldt had 14, Luke Ira 11 and Sterling McIlravy added 10 for the Spartans. Dyersville Beckman (3-3) was led by Mitch Gehling, who played a great game and finished with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Riley LeGrand added 13 points and six assists, and Connor McDermott had 13 points off the bench.
Scoring
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | OT | F |
Dyersville Beckman | 10 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 61 |
Solon | 7 | 14 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 63 |
Dyersville Beckman: Mitch Gehling 19, Riley LeGrand 13, Connor McDermott 13, Jackson Bennett 6, Brady Arens 4, Sam Stelken 4, Ben Palmer 2
Solon: Jake Coons 15, Ben Krutzfeldt 14, Luke Ira 11, Sterling McIlravy 10, Zach Cusick 4, Luke Schaekenbach 4, A.J. Coons 3, Ryan Ladage 2
MVP: Jake Coons (Solon)
The Iowa football commit led the Spartans with 15 points and nine rebounds, including four big ones on the offensive end. He not only led the team in scoring, but his impact on the defensive end was very evident when he was sidelined with foul trouble, as Beckman big man Mitch Gehling did a lot of damage with Coons on the bench. A big, strong and physical interior presence, Coons uses his strength effectively on both ends of the floor and showed good touch from about 12 feet and in.
Play of the game: The final defensive possession for Solon
Up 63-61 with 17.1 seconds to play in overtime, Solon didn’t allow Beckman to get off a good shot. Sterling McIlravy played very strong faceguarding defense on Riley LeGrand, taking the Blazers out of whatever their set was, and in the scramble, they couldn’t get off a good look.
Best offensive performance: Mitch Gehling (Dyersville Beckman)
The Beckman big man showed off a little bit of everything in his offensive arsenal, stepping out to hit a pair of 3s, scoring on the block and getting to the free throw line. A mobile big, he runs the floor well and does a nice job establishing early position, and he makes himself available when he cuts across the lane. He also showed some nice passing ability, finishing with three assists on the evening.
Best defensive performance: Mitch Gehling (Dyersville Beckman)
In addition to his stellar play on the offensive end, Gehling blocked four shots on the other end of the floor, and made scoring in the paint difficult for Solon. He’s long, but also very disciplined, rarely leaving his feet to block shots, rather just using his long wingspan and good defensive positioning to make plays.
Best passer: Riley LeGrand (Dyersville Beckman)
LeGrand has become one of my favorites to watch across the state, showing off some fantastic court vision and passing ability. He’s a very good ball handler, has good size and is able to fire passes with either hand that most players in the state can’t make with their dominant hand. When he’s clicking, the Beckman offense is tough to stop.
Best shooter: Luke Ira (Solon)
Ira connected on three 3s during the contest, including a pair of big ones in the third quarter to help push Solon out to their lead. He’s got a quick release and is a good shooter off the catch.
Best rebounder: Jake Coons (Solon)
The game’s leading rebounder, Coons finished with nine rebounds (five defensive, four offensive). The Iowa football commit is a big, strong and physical interior presence and a top-notch athlete who can use either his strength to bully people or his athleticism to simply outjump them for the ball.
Best underclassman: A.J. Coons (Solon)
In fairness, he was the only underclassman to play in the game, but he’s got a bright future. A long, wiry and athletic off guard, he’s a solid ball handler and he was very aggressive on the offensive end, particularly in the first half. He’s got a nice mid-range game right now, is a good passer and he does a nice job putting the defense in difficult spots with his constant attacking mentality.
Best player off the bench: Connor McDermott (Dyersville Beckman)
McDermott stood out during warmups, when he was knocking down 3 after 3. He only knocked down one 3 in the game, but he came off the bench to score 13 points for the Blazers. He’s constantly moving, finding soft spots in the defense for layups, and he’s a good perimeter shooter. He scored those 13 points on 5-8 shooting, and also pulled down four rebounds.
Story to watch moving forward: Does Beckman have enough scoring to compete at last year’s level?
The Blazers lost a pair of standout scoring threats in Colin Squiers and Colton Willenbring from last year’s team. And while Riley LeGrand is a very good player who does a great job getting others involved, it remains to be seen if this group has a guy they can give the ball to to go get a bucket.