Section Scout: No. 1 Austin over No. 4 Byron in Section 1AAA Semis
Photo courtesy of the Austin Daily Herald
The Packers went into the Section 1AAA tournament dubbed the heavy favorite. They did nothing to suggest they were ripe for an upset Saturday, jumping out to a 14-point lead in the first 10 minutes and coasting to a 66-48 win.
Here were some things that stood out from the game:
Austin’s defense: Both and Duoth Gach gobble up a lot of the attention when it comes to the Packers and they certainly set the tone, but they aren’t the only two guys with incredible length/athleticism. Austin’s 1-2-2 defense gave Byron fits all afternoon as the Packers forced nine turnovers in the first half. When the Packers get out and run in transition, there aren’t a lot of teams that will beat them. Jany Gash is another long wing and Moses Issa is arguably the most athletic player on the team.
Packer bigs dominate the paint: If Byron was going to have any shot of winning, it had to limit the effectiveness of the Gach brothers and keep the Packers out of transition. The Bears certainly didn’t shut down the Gach brothers as they scored 13 points each, but what really killed them was the play of Austin forwards Kyle Oberbroeckling, Pat Hagen and Oman Oman. Oberbroeckling led all scorers with 19 points and added seven rebounds. Hagen added eight points and seven boards and Oman scored seven points while dishing out four assists. None of them really ventured outside what they usually do though. They all just seemed to put themselves in the right spots, carving out space inside to be outlet options on drives. They dominated the boards as well both offensively and defensively.
Standouts/Players to watch:
Both/Duoth Gach (Austin, Jr.) — the Packers go as the Gach brothers go and they’ve been very, very good all year. Both is the more well-rounded player as a slasher/passer while Duoth is the superior perimeter shooter. Both guys can be extremely disruptive defenders when engaged and it doesn’t take long to find highlights of either one either knocking down impressive shots or throwing down thunderous dunks. They are certainly players to watch this summer and into next year. NSIC schools should be in on both guys.
Tate Hebrink (Austin Jr.) — Hebrink is the third leading scorer for the Packers and might be their best 3-point shooter. He’s undersized at just 5-foot-10 but he’s strong and seems to come up with big plays when the Packers need them. He’s active in their zone defense, possessing quick hands and good instincts.
Michael Coble (Byron, Jr.) — Coble struggled mightily Saturday against the Packers’ extended zone and didn’t get into any sort of offensive rhythm until late in the game. At 6-foot-2, Coble looks the part of a college combo guard. He’s got a great blend of explosiveness and quickness and was arguably the team’s top player throughout the year.
Bjorn Knutson (Byron, Jr.) — Knutson was the one guy who seemed to find success with his shot against Austin, leading the Bears in scoring. Knutson looks like a Division III shooting guard and his ability to play to play effectively off the ball while contributing defensively could be appealing to local schools. He’ll be an interesting guy to watch this summer.