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Bryce Hoekman
The Rebels’ chance to get back to a normal schedule looked to start January 2nd with a home game against the Pipestone Area Arrows followed by a Friday night home game with HBC. A pretty normal week with practices in between games, but Mother Nature would say no. With the incoming blizzard, the schools decided to move the Monday game up to noon so that it would get played before the snow began to fly. The Rebels and the Arrows would get their game in just in time. The Rebels would be facing much tougher competition than they have seen all season. The Arrows entered the game 4-2 on the season playing bigger competition than the Rebels have and it showed.
For the third consecutive game, the Rebels failed to score 20 points in the first half. Against RCW and Minneota the Rebels’ defense was enough to keep the game close. The Arrows are a strong team up front with good length. That limited the Rebels in the paint. Over the past two games, the Rebels’ big men Hoekman and Tentinger led the Rebel offense scoring around the basket either by posting up or driving inside. The Arrows were ready for that and though MCC was able to get points early to Bryce Hoekman overall the Rebels didn’t have many openings. Rysley Borman and Kellen Johnson led the Arrows in the first half scoring 19 points combined which were one more than the Rebels’ entire team. Hoekman led the Rebels with 8 points. The Rebels trailed at the half 31 to 18.
The second half was odd. The Arrows dominated play as the Rebels never really showed a glimpse of coming from behind but the Arrows didn’t just blow the Rebels out either. MCC would score 18 points in the second half but the Arrows only scored 26. Merrick Heidebrink led the Arrows in the second half with six points as he made back-to-back three-point shots. Tanner Graphenteen led the Rebels with six points in the second half but MCC failed to make a three-point shot in the half. MCC would lose 57 to 36 ending their four-game winning streak.
Bryce Hoekman scored 10 points to lead the Rebels in scoring against the Arrows. Graphenteen and Tentinger would get 6 each. As the Rebels hopefully get back into a regular schedule with some practices, the offense needs to improve. As the Rebels get into the Red Rock Conference and you play more and more teams that know you it becomes harder to score. The Rebels’ next game will be Friday night in Slayton against Hills Beaver Creek.
