EDC Playoff Game Report: Mustangs v. Packers

<p>In a rivalry game to go to the EDC Championship you’ve got to lay everything on the line, and that’s exactly what these two teams did. The Mustangs and Packers both showed poise, toughness, and heart in their battle on Thursday night. In the end Sheyenne came away with the victory 75-62 and secured a chance to play Davies on Saturday. Both of these squads had players show up when it mattered, and it’s time to discuss who those guys were. </p> <p>West Fargo Sheyenne Mustangs </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1046354" first="Michael" last="Nhial"] - 27 points 12 rebounds 12-14 FT</p> <p>During this game it became apparent that senior [player_tooltip player_id="1046354" first="Michael" last="Nhial"] was too much to handle for the Packers. Using his size, strength, and athleticism to bully them all night was the second half strategy for the star, and it worked. Mike was an animal on the glass and that led to many second chance efforts on the offensive end. Because of this the forward shot fourteen free-throws and helped carry the Mustangs to a State tournament berth. If he continues to play like this I don’t see many teams having the man power to stop him. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1133064" first="Kaleb" last="Larson"] - 30 points 11 rebounds 12-13 FT</p> <p>Another player that put the Mustangs on his back was senior [player_tooltip player_id="1133064" first="Kaleb" last="Larson"]. This kid was oozing with confidence on Thursday night and I got a sense that nobody was going to slow him down. Larson hit a couple shots from deep, was an absolute workhorse on the boards, and attacked the rim well. He also joined Nhial in making twelve free-throw shots, which was crucial in the success of the Mustangs. With the swagger that he plays with I expect more big games in this playoff run from Larson. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1133065" first="James" last="Hagen"] - 8 points 4 assists 2 steals </p> <p>All year senior [player_tooltip player_id="1133065" first="James" last="Hagen"] has been a leader for the Mustangs, and Thursday night was no different. Against the Packers Hagen played hard on-ball defense, picked his shots well, found open teammates, and collected a couple of steals. You won’t see this senior fill up the stat sheet in a crazy way, but his impact is something that doesn’t always show up on paper. </p> <p>West Fargo Packers </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="812219" first="Carson" last="Hegerle"] - 20 points 7 rebounds 4 assists 2 blocks</p> <p>In this rivalry match-up against the Mustangs senior [player_tooltip player_id="812219" first="Carson" last="Hegerle"] played a good all-around game. The forward scored the ball well on the inside, rebounded strong against tough opponents, moved the rock, and sent two shots back. As a key player in the Packers State championship last year you could see how experience helped Hegerle in the big game spot light, and if they want to repeat that experience will come in handy plenty more. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1161460" first="Nick" last="Carlson"] - 16 points 6 rebounds 2 steals</p> <p>Another senior that kept the Packers afloat in this game was [player_tooltip player_id="1161460" first="Nick" last="Carlson"]. The forward was active in the paint, hit two shots from the arc, rebounded well on the offensive end, and collected two steals. At his height with the athleticism that I’ve seen, Carlson can have a big impact moving forward for the Green and White, and I believe that he will do so. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1385223" first="Foday" last="Sheriff"] - 10 points 7 rebounds 2 blocks</p> <p>Lastly we’ve got the unforeseen standout from this season [player_tooltip player_id="1385223" first="Foday" last="Sheriff"]. The Packer senior provided some sneaky points for his team while rebounding the ball well. He also rejected two of the Mustang’s shots in the first half. As a guy who can light up the rim at any given moment Foday will be a weapon as the Pack moves forward. </p>