Standouts: Dell Rapids vs. Milbank

Milbank, SD - This was a wild game tonight, it came down to a last-second shot to see who was going to win it. The Bulldogs sat in a half-court zone all night and the Quarriers picked up fullcourt in a zone press which forced a ton of turnovers, or they played half-court man. The Dell Rapids fullcourt pressure was the difference-maker tonight along with some hot 3-point shooting in the 3rd quarter. The game started out with Milbank in control and they broke out into an early 8-0 lead. The Bulldog’s biggest lead in the first half got up to 9 points and the closest it got was 3 points. In the 3rd quarter, the Quarriers flipped the script and erupted for 21 points. They did it by forcing turnovers, getting stops, and hitting three-pointers against the zone. Early in the 4th quarter, Dell Rapids had an 11 point lead but Milbank would not go away. Near the end of regulation, Milbank had time to go for a 3-pointer and the win, but they settled for a jumper just inside the arc. It was close but it was a bit short and Dell Rapids came away with the 2-point victory. It was certainly a game of runs and momentum swings. Overall it was a fun fast-paced game and I was able to see some impressive performances. Read below for information on the standout players. Good luck to Dell Rapids and Milbank on the rest of the season. I hope I get a chance to watch them play again! Scores 1st - Dell Rapids 9 Milbank 14 2nd - Dell Rapids 20 Milbank 25 3rd - Dell Rapids 41 Milbank 33 4th - Dell Rapids 55 Milbank 53 <h4>Dell Rapids Standouts</h4> [player_tooltip player_id="963773" first="Brayden" last="Pankonen"] (2023) |5-11 G| He is a very quick left-handed guard. Brayden has excellent handles and ball skills. I like how he threw right-handed passes off the dribble. He was good at attacking, drawing two defenders, and kicking to teammates. Pankonen forced many turnovers. He anticipates very well. This speedster had a big bucket in transition to tie the game in the 3rd quarter. Shortly after Brayden had a big corner 3-pointer to increase the lead. He also had a big baseline 3-pointer in the 4th quarter. Brayden was excellent on the O-boards. He grabbed many because of his hustle and quickness. Bryden helped ice the game down the stretch by going 6-6 from the charity stripe. This was a good win for Pankonen and the Quarriers. [player_tooltip player_id="1355453" first="Jack" last="Henry"] (2024) |6-0 G| He played a pivotal role during the comeback with two huge back-to-back 3-pointers for the corners. In the press, Jack got his hands on a ton of passes. He caused many problems in the zone press. He is an athletic player that can score inside and out. Henry looks like a very good rebounder, he always seemed to be around the basketball. Jack attacks the ball with aggressiveness. I liked how he followed his own shot. Henry had an awesome tip in after he followed his miss. I liked how Jack moved throughout the zone on the perimeter and in the lane. He shot it well with jumpers from 10-15 feet and multiple 3-pointers. Henry looks to have loads of potential. Shane Stone (2022) |6-5 PF| He is a strong and powerful forward. Stone blocked multiple shots and contested many more. He was tough on the offensive glass with multiple putbacks for points. Shane had a putback shot at the end of the 3rd quarter that he was fouled on as the buzzer sounded. He shot the free throws on the court by himself, and he cashed them both in. Stone showed off his athleticism in the second half. He had a super athletic and powerful 2-handed slam vs. the zone. However it did not count because he traveled first, but it was fun to see that kind of action. [player_tooltip player_id="968177" first="Landon" last="Ruesink"] (2022) |5-11 PG| He was in foul trouble for most of the first half and sat with 3 fouls. I like how Landon directed traffic and moved the ball against the zone defense. When the comeback was on, Ruesink hit a 3-pointer in the 3rd quarter. He did a nice job of finding shooters and delivering the ball. When Dell Rapids was being pressured late, Ruesink did not get rattled and took care of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="1339596" first="Camden" last="Justice"] (2023) |6-3 G| He gives good effort and Camden has a versatile game. Justice did a bit of everything tonight. On defense, he took away passing lanes in the press and he blocked a shot on defense. On offense, Camden hit multiple 3-pointers. His biggest triple came from the baseline corner when Dell Rapids finally took the lead. Justice showed a smooth 1-dribble pull-up jumper from 15-feet. He also scored on the block against the zone. [player_tooltip player_id="1227943" first="Luke" last="Randall"] (2023) |6-4 F| He is a big kid that seals hard and fights for rebounds. He is also a rim protector that blocks shots. Luke had a great O-board and a putback basket right before the buzzer sounded at halftime. I liked how he battled for position on the inside against the zone. <h4>Milbank Standouts</h4> [player_tooltip player_id="968186" first="Bennett" last="Schwenn"] (2022) |6-2 G/F| He is a long athlete and a slasher. Schwenn did all of his damage going to the basket. His first step was impressive, Bennett covers a ton of ground and he gets to the rim in a hurry. I liked how he would kiss the ball high up on the glass to avoid getting the shot blocked. Other times he would blow right by the defense and his layup would be uncontested. I really liked when he penetrated, jumped stopped, and rose above the defense for a short 8-foot jumper. Bennett was most effective driving and finishing with his right hand but he did have a great left-handed attack and finish in the second half. He also showed a fancy finish with excellent hang time to avoid the defense. Schwenn was great at getting to the rim, I liked the looks of this athletic slasher. [player_tooltip player_id="1266227" first="Garrett" last="Mertens"] (2024) |6-2 G| This youngster was impressive. Mertens is a slasher and a downhill player. Garrett can also hit the 3-ball and he has a smooth mid-range pull-up. In the first half, he had an amazing pass off the dribble to Mursu where he had to thread the needle through defenders. I loved his aggressiveness going to the cup. I liked how Garrett picked off passes on the backside of the zone, it looked like he was reading eyes and shoulders. He showcased a great behind-the-back move that left his defender in the dust. Mertens made some nice plays in the 4th quarter. He hit an 8-foot runner after contact. Garrett also had a driving bucket late to keep the game close. Mertens looks the be a gamer and a playmaker. William Mursu (2022) |6-2 PF| This kid is a workhorse that grinded all game long. Mursu looked good screening and rolling. He had multiple cross-rim finishes that showed good body control. He has a soft touch when finishing. On a reverse finish, William put a ton of spin on a difficult angled shot, that kissed off the glass and went in for two points. He is a crafty and nifty finisher. He also scored on O-board putbacks. In one possession, Mursu had 3 offensive rebounds, and on his 3rd shot, he scored the basket. This showed great effort and commitment! He also looked good at cleaning the defensive glass. He is a hard worker and I like his game as an undersized post player. Justus Osborn (2023) |6-0 G| He is a quick guard. Osborn had a pretty play in transition where he scored an AND1 basket and he cashed in the FT after. Justus showed a 15-foot bank shot and he picked off passes on defense. He showed off his speed with a steal and a coast-to-coast finish, this one was also an AND1. He showed great effort and NRG.