Game Report: Cambridge 82, Marshall 62

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KEYS TO THE GAME</strong><br><br>Cambridge set the tone early, jumping to an 8-0 lead behind baskets from four players not named [player_tooltip player_id='1598980' first='Matthew' last='Buckman']. Even though Marshall responded with a 9-0 run of its own to grab a temporary lead, Cambridge rode the hot hand of its star senior to a 33-29 halftime lead. Buckman, a versatile 6-foot-5 forward, scored 19 points in the first 18 minutes. The second half remained close until the midway point when a pair of technical fouls on Marshall players provided Cambridge the opportunity to take a double-figure lead. The Bluejays took full advantage and they led by more than 10 points the rest of the way, and at one point expanded their lead to 25. Buckman continued to put his imprint on the game in a variety of ways in the second half, scoring 27 points, handing out several assists, rebounding on both ends and getting to the foul line at a high level. The NCAA Division II Hillsdale College recruit finished with 46 points and made 12 of 14 foul tries. Kiefer Parish (nine points), [player_tooltip player_id='2621275' first='Drew' last='Holzhueter'] (eight points) and [player_tooltip player_id='2758142' first='Jett' last='Horton'] (eight points) also turned in strong showings for Cambridge. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2621267' first='Daniel' last='Nickel'] scored 17 points to top Marshall. <strong><br><br>STAR OF THE GAME</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1598980"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679c5987736f2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Buckman scored 46 points and did so by making field goals from all over the court. And while Buckman's career-high scoring total was exceptionally impressive, it was his passing that stood out the most. Buckman's feel for the game and his court vision were simply stellar. He passed tremendously well out of double teams, pushed the ball ahead in the open court, and found his teammates when they cut to the basket. Buckman is turning in a sensational senior season for a team and program on the rise, and his completeness makes him the top player in the Capitol South Conference, and one of the best in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>EMERGING PLAYERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2621275"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679c59877375a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Holzhueter is one of the players Cambridge calls upon to take some of the scoring load off of senior [player_tooltip player_id='1598980' first='Matthew' last='Buckman']. Thursday night at Marshall, Holzhueter responded with eight points and all four of his field goals came when the game was hotly contested. He was able to get to the basket off strong cuts in the lane, and he also made some mid-range jump shots for the Bluejays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2758142"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679c5cd95e7fa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Horton, Holzhueter and senior Kiefer Parish provide Cambridge with three strong and skilled backcourt performers. All three are unselfish and look for their teammates, and yet all three also can score and defend. Horton finished with eight points and used his physical strength to get into the lane to create for himself and his teammates. Horton and Co. also did a very good job of keeping the quick guards from Marshall from getting to the basket for much of the contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2621267"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-679c5cd95e859"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nickel wound up as the top scorer for Marshall as he scored 17 points. He started his scoring spree in the first half with a three-point basket and then followed that up with six two-point field goals. Nickel did a nice job of driving hard into the lane before slamming on the brakes and then rising up for mid-range jump shots. Also scoring in double figures for Marshall against Cambrdge were senior Keyon Miggins (14), junior [player_tooltip player_id='2407473' first='Brady' last='Kleinheinz'] (12) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2423549' first='Jaylen' last='Miggins'] (11).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE BIG PICTURE</strong><br><br>Cambridge has been playing well all season under first-year coach Alex Ranney, and the Bluejays rank among the elite teams in the state at the WIAA Division 4 level. The nice thing about both Cambridge and Marshall is that they will compete in different sectionals with Marshall in Sectional 3 and Cambridge in Sectional 4. Cambridge won its seventh consecutive contest with its convincing win over Marshall, and the Bluejays get back in action Saturday at Brodhead.<br><br>Marshall's eight-game winning streak came to an end to its biggest competitor in the Capitol South, and now the Cardinals must fight from behind in the league standings. Still, Marshall is just one game outside of first place and gets another shot at front-running Cambridge on the road on February 27. Marshall will have to take care of business in league play until it second encounter with Cambridge, though, and that won't be easy with a road game Saturday with dangerous New Glarus. <br><br><strong>BOXSCORE<br><br>Cambridge (33-49 = 82)</strong><br>Buckman 46, Nottestad 4, Parish 9, Holzhueter 8, Horton 8, Brown 6, Nelles 0, Baker 0, Crawford 0, Cunningham 0, Harbort 1, Rahn 0. Three-point field goals: Parish 1. FT: 15-19. Fouled out: None. Record: 13-2.<br><strong>Marshall (29-33 = 62)</strong><br>Kleinheinz 12, K. Miggins 14, Ruelas 5, J. Miggins 11, Nickel 17, Connelly 3, Timpel 0, Santacruz 0, Vacha 0, Ney 0, Rodriguez 0. Three-point field goals: K. Miggins 1, Connelly 1, Ruelas 1, Nickel 1. FT: 10-12. Fouled out: None. Record: 11-4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->