Ten Best: Waseca vs. Marshall
One of the better rivalries in southern Minnesota, Saturday’s meeting between Waseca and Marshall paled in comparison to the four overtime classic the two teams shared last March. It was still a matchup featuring Class AAA heavyweights, though this time…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the better rivalries in southern Minnesota, Saturday’s meeting between Waseca and Marshall paled in comparison to the four overtime classic the two teams shared last March. It was still a matchup featuring Class AAA heavyweights, though this time it was Marshall, prevailing with a 78-61 win.
A highly contested affair through the first half, the Tigers used a 12-3 run over the final two minutes to take an eight-point lead into halftime. Despite Kaleb Nelson’s best efforts, Waseca just didn’t have enough firepower.
And that firepower was on full display for Marshall as Trey Lance, Mitchell Sueker and Weston Baker Magrath all scored at least 15 points.
MVP: Trey Lance (Marshall)
It’s tough to pick a most valuable player with a team like Marshall because the Tigers have so many components. But the guy that really shined throughout the game Saturdya was Lance. The junior guard scored 18 points, including 14 in the hotly contested first half and shut down Waseca’s second leading scorer Malik Willingham.
Best Offensive Performance: Kaleb Nelson (Waseca)
Nelson was ridiculous for the Bluejays. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard poured in 31 points seemingly upping the degree of difficulty with each passing shot. He hit six 3-pointers including three over the compete outstretched arms of the Mitchell Sueker — a 6-foot-8 wing — and showed off range that extends beyond the NBA 3-point line. Nelson wasn’t just chucking triples though, as he showed off a solid drive game and showed strength to finish through contact. The Bluejays activated him in ball screen actions and he used solid handles to probe the defense inside before either getting a shot or finding a teammate. He was absolutely terrific. If Nelson had been good, Waseca would’ve lost by 30.
Best Defensive Performance: Weston Baker Magrath (Marshall)
Reece Winkelman or Lance could’ve gotten this nod too for their respective work on Malik Willingham and Jake Guse, but the guy that makes the defensive engine go for the Tigers is Baker Magrath. The 6-foot-8 forward has unbelievable bounce and range on the defensive end and his presence inside changes games. He can dominate a game without scoring a point. Baker Magrath scored 15 points Saturday but his efforts on the defensive end changed the game. He blocked several shots and altered at least a half dozen more in the paint and played a big part in Marshall dominating the glass.
Best Shooter: Nelson (Waseca)
This one’s obvious. Nelson knocked down six triples in the game and most of them were from at least the college 3-point line. His stroke is pretty and his release is quick enough that he can get shots off that might look contested. He’ll play college basketball somewhere. The main asset he will bring to that level is his ability to stretch defenses in a big way.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance: Reece Winkelman (Marshall)
It’s easy to forget about Winkelman a little bit given Baker Magrath, Mitchell Sueker, Zach Bloemker and Lance handle a lot of the scoring, but the senior forward fills the “glue guy” role to perfection. The future South Dakota State football player did the dirty work again Saturday, playing a big part in shutting down Jake Guse. Winkelman also collected several key offensive rebounds in the first half when Marshall started to separate itself from the Bluejays.
Best Underclassman: Malik Willingham (Waseca)
Willingham went into the game Saturday averaging more than 16 points per game. He had a tough go of it, scoring 11 and hitting just three shots from the field. Despite the less than stellar performance, its easy to see why he’s highly regarded. The 5-foot-11 guard is extremely aggressive and fearless with the ball. He’s similar to Nelson in that he doesn’t have a conscience sometimes and while on a bad day that can spell trouble, on a good day its good enough to win the Bluejays a game. He’s going to win the Bluejays a lot of games.
Best Prospect: Mitchell Sueker (Marshall)
There are a bunch of guys that could make cases for best prospect in this one. Baker Magrath is going to play at Nebraska Kearney. Jake Guse will play somewhere in the NSIC most likely. Blaise Andries is the best football player in the state. But for basketball prospects, the guy that really intrigues is Sueker. The 6-foot-8 forward is going to South Dakota School of Mines and he’s got the skillset to be an impact player in that program. He can handle the ball, he’s a good shooter out to the 3-point line and he’s a good enough athlete to guard three positions.
Best Player off the Bench: Ryan VanMoer (Marshall)
The Tigers starters accounted for 68 of the team’s 78 points, but the bench play was a big key in helping them separate from the Bluejays over the course of the second half. Ryan VanMoer didn’t score any of those points, but he was certainly a spark for the Tigers. His defense was stellar and his energy made a big difference as the Tigers just went at the Bluejays in waves.
Best Aspect of the Environment: Section Environment
Who would’ve thought it was a random Saturday in the middle of January? It was a packed house at Waseca High School and the environment was fitting of a section game. Throughout the first half, it felt like the two teams had just picked up with a fifth overtime after last year’s section championship.
Best Storyline Going Forward: Can Marshall win a state title?
At this point there’s nothing left for the Tigers to prove in the regular season. They’ve beaten the best teams on their schedule handily to this point. They absolutely look capable of contending with DeLaSalle — or whoever comes out of that section — for the AAA state title.
Yes, Marshall will likely have to go through this Waseca team again to get to the tournament. And Waseca has this thing about beating Marshall when it counts in more sports than just basketball. But beating this Tigers team looks like such a tall task.
They have all the pieces. They start four seniors and a junior. They’ve got size and impact defenders with Baker Magrath manning the middle. They’ve got depth on the bench. And they’ve got four guys who can score at least 20 on any given night. Zach Bloemker, one of the team’s leading scorers heading into the game, only scored seven points. Yet the Tigers still led by 20 in the second half on the road over an elite Class AAA team.
Marshall’s got one more litmus test type of game this year as the Tigers will play at Orono in mid-February. But they certainly look the part of a legitimate state title contender.