10 Best: Minot Bishop Ryan at Shiloh Christian (Dec. 22)
(photo by Tom Stromme, Bismarck Tribune) After a low scoring first half that saw both teams sitting in the low-20’s, both the Shiloh Christian Skyhawks and the Minot Bishop Ryan Lions put up better numbers after switching ends of the…
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Continue Reading(photo by Tom Stromme, Bismarck Tribune)
After a low scoring first half that saw both teams sitting in the low-20’s, both the Shiloh Christian Skyhawks and the Minot Bishop Ryan Lions put up better numbers after switching ends of the court. Shiloh Christian, the home team in a game that was moved to St. Mary’s Central High last minute, started finishing transition buckets that weren’t falling in the first half, while Bishop Ryan warmed up from behind the arc. While both teams played much better in the second half, the game still ended in a low scoring 50-48 victory for the Skyhawks.
MVP: Canaan Fagerlund, Shiloh, So., G. Fagerlund was nothing but dependable for the Skyhawks all night long. Not only was he tasked with guarding one of Bishop Ryan’s star guards (Eli Stewart and Ben Bohl), but he was also the main distributor. Fagerlund didn’t take a bad shot all game, and when it came down to hitting free throws at the end he was the one the Shiloh coaches and players wanted at the line.
Play of the game: Ogbu coast to coast. Shiloh Junior Bartholomew Ogbu is the Skyhawks’ most talented and athletic player. At 6’6” he doesn’t look like he should be the fastest player on the court, but he showcased that speed in the third quarter when he snatched a rebound and sped down the floor, then euro-stepped through two Ryan defenders into a smooth finger roll.
Best offensive performance: Mason Hedberg, Bishop Ryan, So., G. Hedberg was quiet in the first half, but with four minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Lions down 10, Hedberg start casting, and cashing, from deep. His performance kept the Lions in this game when it looked like they were done.
Best defensive performance: Nick Pfaff, Shiloh, Sr, G. Fagerlund was always guarding one of Bohl or Stewart, and Pfaff was always blanketing the other. Both of those guards for Ryan are capable of taking over a game, but Pfaff was able to pressure them outside and stay in front of them when they tried to drive.
Best guy off the bench: Jonas Mitzel, Shiloh, Jr, G. Hedberg was great off the bench for Ryan, but Mitzel was just as important for Shiloh. Mitzel was able to fill in defensively for Pfaff and Fagerlund when they needed a break, and provided a slashing/drive and kick presence on the offensive end.
Best intangibles: Austin Hartman, Shiloh, Jr, F. Hartman was the first guy off the bench for Shiloh, and did nothing but hustle. His versatility allowed Shiloh to play a different style when he was in.
Best under-the-radar performance: Anthony Vetter, Bishop Ryan, Jr, F. At 6’3” Vetter was often the biggest player on the court for the Lions and was undersized compared to Ogbu and 6’9” Macauley Young for Shiloh. Even with the size disadvantage Vetter was the best offensive post player of the game. Whenever he had the ball in the low post he was able to showcase his quick feet, crafty moves, and soft touch around the rim.
Best underclassman: Macauley Young, Shiloh, So., C. Picking just one is tough, but Young’s aggressive play in the second half was integral in holding on to the lead. It took some time for him to show confidence, but as he got more touches his efficiency and aggressiveness skyrocketed.
Best passer: Eli Stewart, Bishop Ryan, Sr, G. Stewart had the ball on a string all night. His best pass was a 3/4 court bounce pass to Vetter filling the lane on the opposite side. The pass didn’t result in an assist, but Vetter got two free throws out of it.
Best coaching decision: For most of the fourth quarter Bishop Ryan was using a straight man-to-man press that Shiloh was breaking with relative ease. At about the same time Hedberg began lighting it up from three the Lions switched to a trapping press that kept forcing the Shiloh ball handlers into the corner. Those traps would either result in a timeout or turnover that temporarily halted the scoring.