Ten Best: Rocori vs. Chisago Lakes
The second game of the day Saturday at the Monticello Invitational might’ve paled in comparison to the show that Minnehaha and Orono put on, but it was a fun to see the dichotomy of a team that wants to play…
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Continue ReadingThe second game of the day Saturday at the Monticello Invitational might’ve paled in comparison to the show that Minnehaha and Orono put on, but it was a fun to see the dichotomy of a team that wants to play fast (Chisago Lakes) against a team that wants to play slower than slow (Rocori).
Ultimately slow won out as the Spartans used a methodical and machine-like halfcourt offense to overwhelm the Wildcats on the way to a 80-69 win.
MVP: Connor Schoborg (Rocori)
The conductor of that ever-so-slowly moving train was 6-foot-5 senior point guard Derek Schoborg. Schoborg piled up a majority of his 17 points at the free throw line late in the game but his ability to control the tempo for large stretches of the game was a big factor in the win. Schoborg didn’t force bad shots, rather he got the Spartans into their offense and let the flex do the work.
Best Offensive Performance: Derek Thompson (Rocori)
It’s a little odd to think that Rocori’s best player could have a quiet 19 points, but that’s what Thompson did. He didn’t have any stretch where he really took the game over but he showed all the tools on the offensive end that make him a good get for Bemidji State. Thompson knocked down a 3-pointer off a down screen, scored off of drives from the high post and cleaned up inside when opportunities presented themselves.
Best Defensive Performance: Trevin Nelson (Chisago Lakes)
The Wildcats had a hard time slowing the Spartans down when they got into their flex offense but a guy who was consistently disruptive was senior point guard Trevin Nelson. Nelson was extremely aggressive jumping passing lanes but was one of the few guys who also didn’t get burned when he didn’t get steals. His ability to push the tempo at times almost got the Wildcats back in the game.
Best Play: Olson steals and scores (Rocori)
There wasn’t a whole lot of drama in this contest as the Spartans jumped out to a 17-point lead at halftime. They held a double-digit lead most of the second half too. The Wildcats put a brief scare into the Spartans in the second half when they got within seven with less than five minutes to go. After a Trevin Nelson three cut the lead to seven, Sam Olson scored consecutive buckets to push the lead back to 11. Olson first scored on a backdoor cut, taking advantage of overzealous defense on the perimeter. Then on the ensuing Chisago possession, Olson picked up a steal and scored a transition layup. That seemed to ultimately take the wind out of the Wildcats’ sails.
Best Guy off the Bench: Eric Thompson (Chisago Lakes)
Eric Thompson gave the Wildcats a big time spark off the bench Saturday, scoring 11 points. Thompson’s ability to stretch the defense with his 3-point shot opened things up for Nelson, Will Tinjum and Thomas Gillach to drive. When he was on the floor, the Wildcats’ offense functioned at a much higher level.
Best Intangibles: Thomas Gillach (Chisago Lakes)
A guy that keyed the second half comeback for the Wildcats was senior wing Thomas Gillach. When the Wildcats got out in transition, Gillach was a terror. He finished the game with 13 points and really set the tone in the second half with great energy.
Best Underclassman: Will Tinjum (Chisago Lakes)
Tinjum is a guy to keep an eye on going forward. The 6-foot-5 sophomore impressed by scoring in a variety of ways including a mid-range jumper and a pretty face-up game in the mid-post. Tinjum finished the game with 12 points and held his own against a big Rocori frontline.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance: William Huls (Rocori)
Very seldom will a guy who scores 16 points be the fourth leading scorer on his own team. That’s what William Huls was for the Spartans Saturday afternoon. Huls was terrific, particularly in the first half, scoring 16 points in efficient fashion. The 6-foot-2 senior guard scored 12 in the first half, knocking down two 3-pointers.
Best Coaching/Strategy: “Don’t let the ball touch the floor”
When the gym was at its quietest, one voice continued to echo through Monticello’s fieldhouse. Rocori’s head coach, Nate Guetter. His message was simple. You don’t need to dribble to run good offense. Once the Spartans got into their halfcourt offense, you could hear Guetter consistently bellowing out “don’t let the ball touch the floor,” while his guys carved out space at the elbows and on the wing in their offense.
Is not dribbling at all maybe a tad excessive? Yeah. Even Guetter would say that — though given his basketball upbringing, he actually might not — but the idea is sound in that one of primary culprits of derailing a good offensive possession is someone pounding the ball. It’s okay to catch, look and either shoot or pass sometimes. Rocori’s offensive style took that to heart in a big way Saturday.
Best Storyline Going Forward: Controlling the tempo
Basketball is all about controlling tempo. Some teams can play well at most speeds but in order for a lot of teams to win, they need to play at a specific pace that suits them. That was very much on display Saturday for Rocori and Chisago Lakes. When the Wildcats got back into the game, it was because they got out and ran. When forced to play in a halfcourt setting, they struggled. The same goes for Rocori only in reverse. The Spartans were very comfortable playing at a slow, leisure pace. When sped up, they struggled. Will these teams be able to dictate tempo this year in most of their games? Both teams could get back to the state tournament, but their contrasting styles and struggles to play in a different way present a set of challenges that won’t be easy to overcome.