MCC LOSE BY ONE TO MINNEOTA

The B-Squad earned a 2-0 record at the Marshall classic ending with a win over Minneota 40-19. Tough defense allowed 10 first half points and 9 second half points, companied by a balanced attack offensively with 9 players getting into the scoring action. Heading into the new year the B-squad has a 6-1 record. Ross Englekes led the team with 9 points, Dylan Kramer had 8, Ben Ahlers and Bryce Hoekman each had 5, Owen Gillette, Jesse Kline, and Carter Lewis each hit a 3-point shot and ended the game with 3 points each, and Wyatt Loosbrock and Hudson Schryvers each had 2.

The Varsity had one of those games that you try and forget about. Playing a scrappy Minneota team, that seemed to be a step ahead of MCC at every juncture and facet of the game. Creating a helter-skelter type of ball game that kept the Rebels off balance for most of the duration of the contest.

In a game where you might call it a defensive battle because neither team broke 40 points, might be better categorized as offensive struggles. Neither team shot better than 34% from the field, neither team shot over 18% from three, and neither team shot over 55% from the foul line. With each team turning the ball over close to 20 times, giving up over 12 offensive rebounds each, it just had the makings of one of those games.

In the first half, MCC would tally a total of 14 points. With only three Rebels scoring in the first half, Tanner Graphenteen led the way with 6 points, Nate Kleven and Chant Mitchell had 4 each. MCC’s defense did a nice job, holding Minneota to 18 first half points, but second chance points put the Vikings ahead at the break as MCC struggled to box out and end defensive possessions with a rebound. This would lead a couple open 3’s as Minneota would take advantage of their second and third opportunities.

You would think that a stifling defense was what held down the Rebels to only 14 points, but it wasn’t for a lack of high percentage shots. Over the course of the game the Rebels had shot after shot in the paint that would not drop. Couple that with the 2-13 three-point shooting and 6-11 shooting from the free throw line, you had the makings of a low scoring game.

The second half would find a little more scoring for both teams as the Rebels would score 10 more points than they did in the first half and Minneota would score 3 more points than they tallied in the first frame, but the game wasn’t played much differently. There was still sloppy passing, unforced turnovers, and a lack of execution on the offensive end from both teams. The difference was Minneota’s best player, Sorrenson would dominate the Rebels. He ended with a game high 25 points and scored 15 of them in the second half. MCC tried to counter Sorrenson’s scoring with a team effort as 6 Rebels would score in the second half compared to only 3 Vikings.

Nate Kleven would lead the way with 7 second half points and a team high 11. Aidan Dierks would have 5, Christian Tentinger 4, Abe Paulzine 3, Derek Kluis 3, and Tanner Graphenteen 2.

As ugly as the game was, MCC would battle back and take the lead late in the game and had a chance to hold on but Sorrenson would score back to back buckets from the right block to put the Vikings up by 1 with 10 seconds to play. MCC called a timeout and out of the timeout would sprint the ball past half court where they would get fouled as the Vikings had a foul to give. MCC would use its last timeout after the foul and with 4 seconds left have their last chance to take the lead. Christian Tentinger would inbound from the sideline just in front of half court, Chant Mitchell would screen down from the right corner to the right block for Tanner Graphenteen would popped out to the right corner. Mitchell would then turn and seal his man as Tentinger passed the ball in to the Senior. Mitchell had a great look, from the block, but as the entire game went, it rolled in and out as Minneota would leave with a 39-38 win. A tough loss for the Rebels who are now 5-4 going into the new year. Even with it being a tough pill to swallow for the team, sometimes these are the best games for a team. So much to learn and gain from a game like this one as the Rebels look ahead into the new year.

Points Leaders: Nate Kleven 11, Tanner Graphenteen 8, Aidan Dierks 5, Chant Mitchell and Christian Tentinger 4, Abe Paulzine 3, Derek Kluis 3. Rebound Leaders: Christian Tentinger 10, Nate Kleven 9, Chant Mitchell 7, Derek Kluis 6. Assists Leaders: Abe Paulzine and Tanner Graphenteen 2. Steals Leaders: Nate Kleven, Tanner Graphenteen 2.