5 Takeaways from Yutan’s 59-53 Victory Over Ashland-Greenwood

<p>ASHLAND- The Saunders County Showdown lived up to the billing Tuesday night as two of the top teams in the two levels of Class C went to battle at Ashland-Greenwood High School. One of the top teams in Class C2, the Yutan Chieftans came into the Birdcage to take on the Ashland-Greenwood Bluejays who are a top 5 team in Class C1 themselves. Coming in I expected the matchup between Yutan's backcourt duo of Morningside commit <strong>Trey Knudsen</strong> and 2021 Guard <strong>Brady Timm </strong>and 2022 Ashland-Greenwood Guard <strong>Cale Jacobsen </strong>would be well worth the trip, and boy was I correct in this assumption. </p> <p>The first two quarters were a complete and total seesaw game, with neither team able to assert themselves. <strong>Knudsen, </strong>who played all 32 minutes on the night, was feeling it from beyond the arch right off the bat knocking down two 3's early and staying hot for the rest of the night. <strong>Knudsen</strong> finished the night with 25 points, including shooting 5-6 from 3 point range, he was complimented perfectly by his point guard <strong>Brady Timm, </strong>who finished with 17 points and 5 assists. This game took a turn in the 3rd quarter when Yutan went to 1-3-1 zone, which Yutan had not got to all season, and it was for one purpose which was the hinder Ashland-Greenwood's 3 point shooting. The Bluejays went incredibly stagnant in the third and just could not attack the zone well. <strong>Cale Jacobsen </strong>was certainly the focal point of the Yutan scouting report, and Knudsen and Timm took turns defending him. Even though he was defended well and most of his looks were well contested, Jacobsen still finished the game with 26 points, though he was bit slow following a hard fall late in the 3rd quarter, though he played through it until the end. This game was exciting from start to finish and was in front of a near-capacity crowd that was loud and into it the entire night. Yutan hosts Louisville on Friday before traveling to Palmyra on Saturday night for another big road game, while Ashland-Greenwood will host Syracuse on Friday night</p> <table style="width: 40.97802197802198%; height: 78px;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 26px;"> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>Team</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>1Q</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>2Q</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>3Q</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>4Q</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>F</strong></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 26px;"> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>Ashland-Greenwood</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;">13</td> <td style="height: 26px;">16</td> <td style="height: 26px;">10</td> <td style="height: 26px;">14</td> <td style="height: 26px;">53</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 26px;"> <td style="height: 26px;"><strong>Yutan</strong></td> <td style="height: 26px;">12</td> <td style="height: 26px;">17</td> <td style="height: 26px;">16</td> <td style="height: 26px;">14</td> <td style="height: 26px;">59</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><strong>Yutan</strong>: Trey Knudsen 25, Brady Timm 17, Will Hays 8, Colby Tichota 5, Sam Peterson 2, Joel Pleskac 2</p> <p><strong>Ashland-Greenwood: </strong>Cale Jacobsen 26, Gavin Bergsten 12, Jarrod Nafzinger 7, Kyle Von Retzell 3, Aiden Lindley 3, Trey Comstock 2</p> <p><strong>Buy Your Stock in Cale Jacobsen ASAP</strong></p> <p>2022 Ashland-Greenwood guard Cale Jacobsen looks more like a sophomore in college than a sophomore in high school. He's got long arms, broad shoulders, and does not look like the player type you usually see in Class C1 basketball in Nebraska. Jacobsen's season so far is most certainly a reason for his stock to be on the rise, and he showed that he is a capable scorer at all three levels against Yutan. Jacobsen has a good looking lefty jump shot and is not afraid to pull up from just about anywhere on the floor. He's got great length and athleticism that makes him someone worth keeping tabs ongoing into the stretch run of the high school season, as well as this coming summer. Earlier this month against a very good Class B opponent in Omaha Roncali, Jacobsen went off for 40 points and is averaging just below 30 points a game for Ashland-Greenwood. </p> <p><strong>Morningside Is Getting a Good One in Trey Knudsen</strong></p> <p>2020 Yutan guard <strong>Trey Knudsen </strong>comitted to perenial NAIA power Morningside College back in August and the Mustangs are certainly getting a good one. Knudsen might be the best pure shooter I've seen this season. He's averaging 14 points a game on the year for the Chieftans and in last night's game was able to drive to the rim as well as displaying his prowess from behind the three-point line. </p> <p><strong>Brady Timm Is About as Pure As A Pure Point Guard Can Be</strong></p> <p>I had heard quite a bit about 2021 Yutan guard, Brady Timm, since last summer. He's a Top 15 player in the 2021 class in our PrepHoops Nebraska rankings and in this game he showcased the aspects of his game that make him stand out. Timm is very fundamentally sound, makes crisp passes, and plays savvy defense. Timm averages 12 points a game to go along with 7 assists. Timm is a good ball-handler who displayed his ability to get to the rim and finish through contact on multiple occasions in this game. He also hit a mid-range jumper that bounced off every part of the rim to end the first half and tie the game up. His defense on Jacobsen down the stretch and playing at the top of Yutan's 1-3-1 zone helped the Chieftans assert themselves and eventually come out victorious. </p> <p><strong>Yutan Will Be Tough To Beat In C2</strong></p> <p>The duo of Knudsen and Timm will make Yutan a formidable opponent for anybody in Class C2. The Chieftans are now 11-1 on the season, and following their trip to Palmyra on Saturday night they likely won't face much resistance on their schedule until district play. Aside from the two guards, 6'6 Senior Forward <strong>Colby Tichota </strong>is a sound presence inside who also averages double figures for the Chieftans. That trio will make Yutan a formidable foe for whoever stands in their way. </p> <p><strong>Small School Nebraska High School Basketball Is A Joy to Watch</strong></p> <p>As a lifelong Omaha boy who graduated from a Class A high school, it is safe to say I am not used to atmospheres like the one I was a part of last night in Ashland. A small gym, jam-packed full. One side of the gym in blue and white, the other side dressed in red and black. Every time <strong>Cale Jacobsen</strong> touched the ball, the Yutan fans yelled "GUARD HIM" and every time he made a shot the Ashland fans went berzerk. I've said before, but high school basketball is alive and well in this state and that even reigns true at the small school level. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>