State Tournament Day 4 Standouts

<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1235580" first="Carsen" last="Schwarz"] | Fort Calhoun</strong></p> <p>The senior forward left it all on the court in his final game for the Pioneers. Schwarz scored 27 of his team’s 46 points while shooting 66% from the field to go along with 13 rebounds (4 offensive). In the fourth quarter and overtime, it seemed the ball was in his hands every possession. Auburn did not have an answer for his post game. He didn’t require an entry pass, although that worked too. He could face up on the perimeter, take his man off the dribble and get to his spot just as easily. His leadership was evident, as well. His teammate turned it over late in the game, and Schwarz made sure to pull him aside, look him in the eyes, and assure him there was plenty of time to make up for it. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1031581" first="Maverick" last="Binder"] | Auburn</strong></p> <p>Maverick was the best player on the floor in Auburn’s 48–46 win over Fort Calhoun. Early in the game, it was the three ball that got him going. A lesser, more immature player may have relied on the perimeter shot late in the game when the Bulldogs trailed by multiple possessions. When the Bulldogs needed a bucket, though, the sophomore patiently worked his way to the rim for high percentage looks, often earning trips to the free-throw line where he hit 6-8 in key moments. He finished the game with 24 points, 4 three-pointers, and 3 steals, propelling his team to the C1 championship game.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="890577" first="Cale" last="Jacobsen"] | Ashland-Greenwood (pictured)</strong></p> <p>The best performance of the day, and possibly of the season, belonged to [player_tooltip player_id="890577" first="Cale" last="Jacobsen"]. It was clear from the beginning that he would have his way with the Kearney Catholic defense, as he was getting into the paint at will. With 43 points on 13-18 FG, Jacobsen set the C1 state tournament record for points in a game. Most importantly, he was a perfect 14-14 from the free-throw line, all of which were necessary to hold off the Stars. It’s never just scoring with Cale. He is always under control, a step ahead of the opponent, and works his tail off on both ends of the floor while making it look easy. Him doing this against C1 competition should not scare off any schools thinking about giving him a scholarship. His injury slowed his recruitment, but enough is enough. Division 1 schools need to offer this man.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787647" first="Jasen" last="Green"] | Millard North</strong></p> <p>By the standards [player_tooltip player_id="787647" first="Jasen" last="Green"] has set for himself, this performance was about a 6/10. For nearly every other player, his 16 points (7-8 FG), 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks would be terrific. It’s easy to take what this guy does each and every night for granted. Gretna, fearing his shot blocking ability, barely looked at the rim for most of this game. What is most impressive about his gaudy numbers every night is the fact that he doesn’t seek production. He doesn’t force shots, especially outside the paint. He takes what the defense gives him, even when that means giving up the ball.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1131118" first="Alex" last="Wilcoxson"] | Gretna</strong></p> <p>Wilcoxson was excellent tonight for the Dragons. He provided much needed spacing, and when [player_tooltip player_id="1131116" first="Landon" last="Pokorski"] was getting hounded with the ball, he took a bigger share of the ball-handling duties. He finished with 16 points and 3 steals, all three of those steals leading to points on the other end. If I have one knock on the sophomore shooter, it’s that he needs to hunt his shot a bit more. I don’t think he realizes how good of a shooter he really is, and if he watches the film from this season he will see several moments where he is a lot more open than he realizes.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1013209" first="Josiah" last="Dotzler"] | Bellevue West</strong></p> <p>Dotzler proved Thursday night that he is far and away the best junior in Nebraska. After a lackluster first half from the Thunderbirds in pretty much every facet of the game, Dotzler came out of the locker room ready to fight. They turned a five point halftime deficit into a double digit lead in the blink of an eye, thanks to Dotzler forcing turnovers, pushing the pace, and putting pressure on the rim. The crowd fed off of his energy, and the team never looked back. Dotzler finished with 24 points (18 in the second half), 4 assists, and 4 steals.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1235576" first="Martel" last="Evans"] | Creighton Prep</strong></p> <p>Creighton Prep’s first half lead was a group effort, but nobody had a bigger impact than [player_tooltip player_id="1235576" first="Martel" last="Evans"]. He gave the Jr. Jays everything he had to give. Evans is possibly the best guard rebounder in the state, and he had several crucial ones on the offensive end to give his team multiple tries. At times, Evans can play out of control or get tunnel vision, but tonight he played with composure. He finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 assists.</p>