Midwest Players Classic: Saturday's standouts

GAME ONE Luther 52, Winona Cotter 43 KEYS TO THE GAME After a sluggish start, Luther led by one at half (21-20) and then used a spurt in the second half to create a multiple-possession advantage over Winona Cotter. The senior tandem of point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2736358' first='Jackson' last='Kendall'] (5-8) and senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2432857' first='Synclair' last='Byus'] (6-3) made plays on both ends of the court to help Luther create the separation it needed to get past Winona Cotter. Kendall's on-ball defense created several turnovers while Byus did a good job of scoring, getting to the line and rebounding. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2623674' first='Will' last='Huelskamp'] (6-5) had a strong second half for Luther, sinking seven of eight foul shots down the stretch. Byus led Luther with 15 points while senior [player_tooltip player_id='2736360' first='Jayden' last='Konter'] (6-3) topped Winona Cotter with 13. STAR OF THE GAME    A three-year varsity performer at Luther, the left-handed Byus is a steadying influence for the Knights. He can attack the basket off the bounce and rise up for perimeter jump shots. Defensively, he has the ability to defend both guards and forwards. Byus finished with 15 points and did so by making foul shots, dropping a three and getting to the basket as Luther won its ninth game of the campaign against four setbacks.    EMERGING PLAYERS    Kendall's on-ball defense was a big part of Luther's win over Winona Cotter. He had several steals and had some breakaway layins off of those thefts. Kendall finished with 10 points with most of those coming in the second half when the Knights pulled away from a one-point lead at halftime. His hustle, ball handling and foul shooting were instrumental in helping his squad secure the non-conference triumph.     Konter led Cotter with 13 points and gave maximum effort on the glass throughout the contest. He competes with a lot of effort and uses his solid footwork in the lane to create space for shots. Konter had five field goals and got to the line three different times, making three-of-five attempts. Konter set screens on the perimeter, played with the back to the basket and attacked the rim. His team came up short against Luther, but Konter gave 110 percent while on the floor for coach Mike Costello and the Ramblers.    BOXSCORE Luther (21-31 = 52) Kendall 10, Byus 15, W. Huelskamp 12, M. Huelskamp 5, Greeno 3, Pierce 4, Peterson 3, McCollough 0, Berg 0. Three-point field goals: Byus 1, Peterson 1, W. Huelskamp 1. FT: 17-24. Fouled out: None. Technical Foul: Byus. Record: 9-4. Winona Cotter (20-23 = 43) Roeder 9, Gibson 0, Diaczun 0, Lopez Amor 10, Konter 13, Errthum 9, Shira 2, Meinke 0, Czaplewski 0, Dotterwick 0. Three-point field goals: Errthum 2, ,Lopez Amor 1. FT: 6-11. Fouled out: None. Record: 5-8. GAME TWO Holmen 74, Rochester Lourdes 65 KEYS TO THE GAME In an entertaining game that was close throughout, the Vikings of Holmen made foul shots in the closing minute of the game and came up with a couple of big stops when playing defense to record their 10th win over the season against just three setbacks. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2365967' first='Keenan' last='Eisermann'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1436535' first='Kaiden' last='Wilber'] led a balanced attack with 19 and 15 points, respectively. Holmen, as usual, relied heavily on the three-point shot as the Vikings connected on nine shots from deep. But the Vikings also drove the ball to the basket often and also made foul shots. Lourdes dropped to 3-11 on the season, but the Eagles played well for the majority of the contest and got an impressive 21-point effort from versatile senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2437341' first='Samuel' last='Theobald']. Lourdes actually led 29-28 at intermission, but Holmen secured the lead early in the second half and held off several Lourdes' rallies to get the win. STAR OF THE GAME    Eisermann is known as a shooter, but he brings more to the game than just a deadeye shooting touch from outside the arc. He has extensive varsity experience so generally knows a good shot when he gets one, but he's also aware of moving the ball and keeping the defense moving. Eisermann had just three points at half, but erupted for 17 in the second half to help Holmen rally from a one-point deficit at half. He finished with three triples, but he also had two driving layups and also made all six of his foul shots.    EMERGING PLAYERS    Wilber stakes his presence on the court along the baseline and wrecks havoc on opponents with his shooting, athleticism and all-around feel for the game. He had 15 points in the win over Rochester Lourdes, sinking a triple, getting all the way to the rim and finishing, and earning trips to the foul line. He has very good vertical jumping ability to snare rebounds on both ends of the court. Wilber sits at 913 career points and is a key player to the Vikings' success.     Theobald was non-stop energy for Lourdes as he scored 21 points thanks to his excellent footwork in the lane, his ability to pivot away from defenders and his aggressiveness with the ball in his hands. He scored 13 points the first half to help the Eagles grab a 29-28 lead at intermission. He came back with eight more in the second half and was strong on the glass with his jumping ability and awareness of where the ball was coming off the rim.    BOXSCORE Rochester Lourdes (29-36 = 65) Williams 10, Theobald 21, Akinbolu 7, Hust 10, Jacobsen 2, Assefa 2, Dierkhising 2, Lovely 9, Quinones 2, Scully 0. Three-point field goals: Lovely 3, Williams 2, Theobald 1, Akinbolu 1. FT: 10-12. Fouled out: Lovely. Record: 3-11. Holmen (28-46 = 74) Eisernmann 10, K. Wilber 15, Rink 8, Berget 11, Lindberg 3, B. Wilber 6, Hanson 3, Williams 0, Bartels 9. Three-point field goals: Eisermann 3, B. Wilber 2, K. Wilber 1, Lindberg 1, Hanson 1, Bartels 1. Three-point field goals: Eisermann 3, B. Wilber 2, K. Wilber 1, Hanson 1, Bartels 1. FT: 15-19. Fouled out: None. Record: 10-3. GAME THREE Caledonia, Minn., 70, Mount Horeb 59 KEYS TO THE GAME Caledonia made things difficult for Mount Horeb junior [player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'] even though the wing scoring sensation did finish with 24 points. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1575329' first='Reid' last='Klug'] (6-6) used his mobility, length and defensive prowess to keep Manchester somewhat under control, limiting him to just one three-point field goal on the day. The result was a dominating second-half performance as the Warriors rallied from a 30-25 halftime deficit with a 45-29 second-half showing. Klug was particularly impressive as he scored 27 points, grabbed a bunch of rebounds and played strong defense on Manchester. Mount Horeb got some production from others in the first half as senior Zach Macguire (6-4) buried three triples and senior [player_tooltip player_id='2811286' first='Griffin' last='Hannah'] (6-3) was able to score off the dribble. But those two were largely shut down in the second half as Caledonia improved to 13-2 and looked highly impressive in doing so. Mount Horeb sustained its first loss of the season after 12 wins under veteran coach Todd Nesheim. STAR OF THE GAME    Klug was nothing short of stellar with his play throughout the contest and on both ends of the court. He was virtually impossible for Mount Horeb to keep out of the lane as he used his long strides, length, ball handling and aggressiveness to get to the basket and score. He also knocked down two three-point shots and went to the foul line to make both of his attempts. His 27 points were extremely impressive, but it was his defense and rebounding that won the day as he chased Manchester around and kept him somewhat under wraps while also snaring rebounds, playing help defense and generally being a big-time menace for the Vikings.    EMERGING PLAYERS    The nephew of long-time Caledonia coach Brad King, [player_tooltip player_id='1575326' first='Mason' last='King'] might be a bit on the short end, but his game was vital to the Warriors' success against Mount Horeb. He had the green light to shoot from deep and responded with four three-point baskets on the way to scoring 14 points. His ball handling, defensive positioning and toughness, and readiness to get on the floor for a loose ball were all instrumental in the Warriors notching the come-from-behind victory at the La Crosse Center.     Manchester had 58 made three-point baskets in 12 games coming into Saturday's outing with Caledonia. He ended the game with 59 triples on the campaign as he was hounded by defenders all day, making it tough for him to get clean looks at the basket from outside the arc. Still, Manchester was able to get to the basket and the foul line and finished with 24 points, seven below his season average of 31.0 ppg. Manchester's quick hands on defense also led to some steals and deflections, and he also had some nice passes on offense to his teammates.    BOXSCORE Caledonia (25-45 = 70) G. King 12, M. King 14, Konz 4, Klug 27, Stendel 11, Stemper 2, Gengler 0, Hammell 0, Hoscheit 0, Treptow 0. Three-point field goals: M. King 4, Klug 2, G. King 1. FT: 8-12. Fouled out: None. Record: 13-2. Mount Horeb (30-29 = 59) Manchester 24, Kiel 3, Maguire 9, Hannah 8, Chapman 5, Aeschlimann 3, Anderson 4, Odgers 2, Nesheim 0, Morrisard 1, Grundahl 0, Finley 0. Three-point field goals: Maguire 3, Manchester 1, Kiel 1, Aeschlimann 1, Chapman 1. FT: 8-15. Fouled out: None. Record: 12-1. GAME FOUR Lake Mills 82, Onalaska 54 KEYS TO THE GAME Simply put, Onalaska ran into a buzzsaw against a very hot-shooting Lake Mills squad. The L-Cats made 19 three-point baskets, including nine from junior [player_tooltip player_id='1745860' first='Brady' last='Benish'], to run its record to 10-2. Benish, for all practical purposes, put the game on ice for Lake Mills early as he made his first six shots from outside the arc in the first half. By the time Benish had swished his sixth triple, Lake Mills had taken a 27-12 advantage. Onalaska battled back and cut the margin to 40-26 by intermission, but Lake Mills continued the onslaught in the second half as [player_tooltip player_id='2346694' first='Tyler' last='Wollin'], [player_tooltip player_id='2253829' first='Ryan' last='Horkan'], Benish, Connor Wendorf and [player_tooltip player_id='1412881' first='AJ' last='Bender'] clicked on all cylinders. Benish finished with 29 points and his pure shooting stroke had the big crowd at the La Crosse Center on the edge of their seat. When he finally missed his first attempt from outside the arc, the crowd let loose with a collective sigh. Still, it was a magnificent shooting showing by Benish and the entire Lake Mills team. STAR OF THE GAME    A game to remember, to be sure, for Benish. His sweet shooting stroke is always something to enjoy, but he took it to new heights on Saturday. He could play the game another 10 years and likely not have a game where he finished with the nine three-point baskets he had against Onalaska. Of course, if teams leave him open, he could very well duplicate his effort versus the Hilltoppers. Because he can make shots from deep, Benish is a guy opponents must account for with detail on each and every possession. The thing is, even when he isn't getting as many open looks as he had against Onalaska, his presence on the court is vital to Lake Mills' success. His ball handling, decision making, defensive grittiness and basketball smarts are all assets to his game in addition to his shooting.    EMERGING PLAYERS    Wollin continues to impress with his athleticism, skill, activity and energy. He seems to be in several places at once, making perimeter shots, getting rebounds and defending at a high level with his strong lateral movement, length and mobility. Wollin finished with 15 points and three made three-point shots against Onalaska. He contributes to the L-Cats' success in so many different ways, whether it be scoring, rebounding, passing, defending or getting on the floor for to grab a deflection.     Steiner is having a very, very good season for Onalaska. At 6-foot-4 and with good verticality, Steiner has the size and athleticism to score in the lane, defend near the post and snare rebounds. Skill wise, Steiner is developing his ball handling and passing and both have improved for the uncommitted class of 2025 prospect. He also has improved his perimeter shooting stroke as he had two three-point baskets and made both of his foul shots on the way to scoring a team-best 15 points. On the season, Steiner is averaging 16.7 points and 6.0 rebounds.    BOXSCORE Onalaska (26-28 = 54) Steiner 15, Smith 6, B. Chenault 2, I. Kowal 8, N. Chenault 6, Hughes 0, Molling 8, T. Kowal 6, Siebert 2, Oyen 0, DeLong 0, Stouvenel 0. Three-point field goals: Steiner 3, Smith 2, T. Kowal 2, Molling 2, Siebert 1. FT: 4-6. Fouled out: None. Record: 11-3. Lake Mills (40-42 = 82) Wollin 15, Bender 8, Schaefer 3, Wendorf 8, B. Benish 29, Winger 0, Horkan 9, Christian 2, Kirckberg 3, C. Bemish 1, Rosales-Gray 0, Smith 0, Corsten 0, Blackmer 0, Daniels 4, Kolkovich 0. Three-point field goals: Benish 9, Horkan 3, Wollin 3, Bender 1, Schaefer 1, Daniels 1, Kirckberg 1. FT: 5-8. Fouled out: None. Record: 10-2. GAME FIVE Kaukauna 74, River Falls 55 KEYS TO THE GAME River Falls did a solid job of sticking close to Kaukauna in the first half by getting some production from senior [player_tooltip player_id='2452073' first='Preston' last='Johnson'], junior Tanner Bottolfson and sophomore reserve [player_tooltip player_id='2419970' first='Cullen' last='Johnson']. All three made big baskets during the first 18 minutes to help short-handed River Falls stay within 39-35 of the Ghosts at intermission. But Green Bay recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1289073' first='Keegan' last='Van Kauwenberg'] and talented junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1561925' first='Andrew' last='Jensen'] got it going big time in the second half as the Ghosts pulled away to a 74-55 win, its second in less than 24 hours after winning on the road at Fond du Lac Friday evening. Van Kauwenberg finished the game with 26 points and made a bunch of mid-range jump shots along with a couple of threes. Jensen added 18 points and also dominated the lane with his rebounding and blocked shots. River Falls, which had leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='2410538' first='Brody' last='Graetz'] (17.9 ppg) on the sidelines on crutches, got 18 points from [player_tooltip player_id='2452073' first='Preston' last='Johnson'] and 11 from Bottolfson in falling to 8-4. STAR OF THE GAME    Van Kauwenberg was steady, impressive and productive while scoring 26 points in the Ghosts' win over River Falls. He was particularly effective in the second half when he scored the majority of his points. Van Kauwenberg has the size and jumping ability to rise up over smaller defenders and his shot is very smooth and consistent. He also is an unselfish player as he is averaging 5.8 assists per outing through 13 games. The Green Bay recruit can play either guard spot, but has improved his ball handling and passing to the point where he is very comfortable at the point-guard position. On the campaign, Van Kauwenberg is averaging 20.5 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Ghosts.    EMERGING PLAYERS    Jensen is a consistent player who competes with intensity on the glass while also being opportunistic in his scoring opportunities. His shot-blocking ability and passing are big assets for Kaukauna coach Mike Schalow, and he can be a go-to player in the lane at times. He finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots against River Falls, and had a stretch in the second half where he was scoring at a high level. Jensen and vastly improved senior forward Caden Graff (6-5) give Kaukauna one of the better frontcourt duos in the 10-team Fox Valley Association. Jensen is averaging 17.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 blocked shots on the campaign.     The NCAA Division II football recruit for Minnesota State-Moorhead also is a very good basketball player. A four-year varsity performer at point guard for the Wildcats, Johnson handles the ball at a very high level while also using his physical strength and speed to get into the lane and score or find an open teammate. He had to score a bit more than usual for the Wildcats against Kaukauna since his backcourt running mate -- junior [player_tooltip player_id='2410538' first='Brody' last='Graetz'] (17.9 ppg) -- missed the game with an injury. And Johnson came through with 18 points while also handing out seven assists and coming up with three steals.    BOXSCORE River Falls (35-20 = 55) E. Johnson 4, P. Johnson 18, Bottolfson 11, Stellrecht 0, DuMond 7, C. Johnson 8, Massa 0, Radloff 1, Carufel 3, Quinn 0, Tiffany 3. Three-point field goals: Bottolfson 3, C. Johnson 2, Carufel 1, DuMond 1, Tiffany 1. FT: 1-2. Fouled out: None. Record: 8-4. Kaukauna (39-35 = 74) McMullin 6, Graff 12, Jensen 18, Roehrig 3, Van Kauwenberg 26, Hill 1, Schwalbach 4, Weyenberg 1, Carl 3, Buckowski 0, Immel 0. Three-point field goals: Van Kauwenberg 2, McMullin 2, Carl 1, Roehrig 1. FT: 8-11. Fouled out: None. Record: 10-3. GAME SIX Waunakee 59, Marshfield 55 KEYS TO THE GAME In one of the more intense, well-played and competitive outings of the Midwest Players Classic, Waunakee made some big plays late to turn back Marshfield. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1749696' first='Eli' last='Selk'] had a big basket and free throw in the closing minute for Waunakee after senior [player_tooltip player_id='1244808' first='Brooks' last='Hinson'] had tied things up at 55 for Marshfield with 1:12 left. Selk finished with 17 points and had some enormous baskets in the lane in the second half as Waunakee improved to 13-2. Teammate [player_tooltip player_id='2042435' first='Kaden' last='MacKenzie'] contributed 15 points and classmate Jack Elickson added 11 for Waunakee. Marshfield got big performances from its top three players as Hinson finished with 21, [player_tooltip player_id='2426092' first='Landon' last='Lee'] added 17 and [player_tooltip player_id='1973149' first='Chris' last='Pohl'] contributed 14. Waunakee led 27-24 at intermission after [player_tooltip player_id='1853678' first='Vance' last='Johnson'] banked in a heave from three-quarters court just prior to the end of the first half. Waunakee outscored Marshfield 17-3 from the foul line and attempted 22 more shots from the stripe. STAR OF THE GAME    Selk was Mr. Clutch for Waunakee as he made one big play after another in the closing minutes of the Warriors' narrow win over a very good Marshfield squad. He buried a three late, scored in the lane with under a minute left and then split a pair of foul shots to give Waunakee the margin it needed to cop the non-conference triumph. The son of Waunakee coach Tyler Selk, Elk Selk is having a very good season for a very good Waunakee squad as he is scoring from deep as he's done so well for so many seasons now, but he's also using his improved strength to get into the lane and score off the dribble and off of back cuts to the hoop. Selk led Waunakee in scoring with 17 points and drew four two-shot free throw attempts during the contest to help the Warriors enjoy a huge advantage from the stripe.    EMERGING PLAYERS    MacKenzie certainly can score -- he had 15 points against Marshfield despite being hounded by one of the state's top defenders in [player_tooltip player_id='1244808' first='Brooks' last='Hinson'] -- but it's all the other stuff he does that stands out the most when watching him compete. He is a big-time pest on defense and his anticipation and movement often leads to steals and deflections. He also is a more than capable rebounder on both ends as he explodes off the floor well and understands where the ball will be coming off the rim. His leadership, toughness and strong desire to do whatever it takes to help his team get a victory are all extremely impressive each time he steps onto the court.     The very definition of a "tough as nails guard," Hinson's team was down double-digits in the first half to Waunakee. Things were a big stagnant on offense for the Tigers, who trailed 14-4 five minutes into the contest. Hinson then went to work. He made a couple of shots and then drilled a three, followed by another field goal, and then another three to get things rolling for Marshfield. He finished the game with 21 points and four made three-point shots while also guarding [player_tooltip player_id='2042435' first='Kaden' last='MacKenzie'], Waunakee's top player. The NCAA Division II recruit for Northern Michigan is physically and mentally as strong as they come and his ability to play either guard spot, score in different ways and guard the opponent's top perimeter player are big trump cards for Marshfield coach Chris Fischer.    BOXSCORE Marshfield (24-31 = 55) Hinson 21, Pohl 14, Lee 17, Knecht 2, Ketterer 0, Kolstad 0, Ramberg 0. Three-point field goals: Hinson 4, Lee 3. FT: 3-5. Fouled out: Ramberg. Record: 8-5. Waunakee (27-32 = 59) MacKenzie 15, Murray 2, Elickson 11, Selk 17, V. Johnson 6, Wagner 4, M. Johnson 2, DuCharme 2. Three-point field goals: MacKenzie 1, Elickson 1, Selk 1, V. Johnson 1. FT: 17-27. Fouled out: None. Record: 13-2.

GAME ONE

Luther 52, Winona Cotter 43

KEYS TO THE GAME

After a sluggish start, Luther led by one at half (21-20) and then used a spurt in the second half to create a multiple-possession advantage over Winona Cotter. The senior tandem of point guard Jackson Kendall Jackson Kendall 5'8" | PG Luther | 2025 WI (5-8) and senior wing Synclair Byus Synclair Byus 6'3" | SF Luther | 2025 State WI (6-3) made plays on both ends of the court to help Luther create the separation it needed to get past Winona Cotter. Kendall's on-ball defense created several turnovers while Byus did a good job of scoring, getting to the line and rebounding. Senior forward Will Huelskamp Will Huelskamp 6'5" | PF Luther | 2025 State WI (6-5) had a strong second half for Luther, sinking seven of eight foul shots down the stretch. Byus led Luther with 15 points while senior Jayden Konter Jayden Konter 6'3" | SF Cotter | 2025 MN (6-3) topped Winona Cotter with 13.

STAR OF THE GAME