MACA basketball cruises toward holidays

MACA boys basketball rumbles forward with not a single loss yet. Five games played, five wins recorded. Is this a prelude to what we'll see when things get going after the holidays? You know, teams really don't get that much of a break for the Christmas holiday, if I may use the word "Christmas." The Tigers will play again on Friday against West Central Area at home. 

The January action starts with a game on the 6th at Minnewaska Area. The squad improved to 5-0 last night (Tuesday) with a win here vs. Melrose. Success came 79-42, pretty convincing. Prior to that we enjoyed the Saturday win at Blackjack country of Dawson-Boyd. Love that nickname. 

Legend has it that the Dawson-Boyd communities came close to joining Lac qui Parle Valley when the new cooperative started. D-B backed away. And they've been thankful for that decision ever since, or so I understand. But on Saturday their boys hoops team was on the losing end vs. our surging orange and black. Our other three wins have come over Montevideo, Osakis and New London-Spicer. 

 

Girls face BOLD next

The MACA girls have had a spotty record so far. Limited highlights. They lost their last two games. Most recently they fell to the Albany Huskies 57-47 at Albany. The Tigers' wins have been over Melrose and Litchfield. And uh-oh the Tigers have a huge challenge awaiting them on Thursday. They will host the BOLD Warriors, a team that recently defeated Montevideo 114-21! Gulp. 

Well we hope our Tigers can hold their own. We're not assuming anything. As ESPN's Chris Berman is known to say, "that's why they play the game." Look out for BOLD's Lilly Henriksen, quite the prolific scorer. 

There's plenty of game action remaining before the holiday break. On the day after the BOLD game, the MACA girls will host the WCA Knights. I presume the Knights are still coached by Becca Holland. I'll ask again: why couldn't we get her to coach here? She's a former Tiger. She was one of those players who always had to be identified by her first name. Her sister was Beth. The first initial was not enough for those girls! Becca's Knights won the state title last year. 

On December 22 the MACA girls will host Eden Valley-Watkins. And then finally Christmas arrives! But action resumes pronto after Christmas. So on the 29th, the Tigers will vie in a tournament at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. They will be joined by D-G-F and Warren-Alvarado-Oslo. From way up north!

 

Jonah Huebner

Check on Maxpreps!

This is like a Christmas gift for me! I could jump up and click my heels together. I just discovered this morning that MACA game data is on the Maxpreps website! Yes, stats from Tuesday night and the previous game as well (boys). I know this has been done in the past but not with 100 percent consistency. 

We can see and appreciate the individual contributions in these wins. So I am more than delighted here to report on the Melrose game. Yes, the 79-42 win that pushed our record to 5-0. We led 36-25 at halftime. And the second half story was a 43-17 scoring advantage. 

Four Tigers scored in double figures. Junior Alex Asmus led the charge with 20 points on 7 of 10 field goal shooting. Seniors Tyson Grove and Riley Asmus each scored 16 points. Tyson shot six of nine and Riley was seven of eleven. Senior Jonah Huebner put in ten points on 5 of 8. All in all very efficient shooting. 

Four other Tigers contributed to the point total: Ben Tiernan 7, Jack Kehoe 5, Bryce Hardy 3 and Tanner Friesen 2. 

The story in 3-pointers was impressive for MACA: 10 of 21 with Grove and Alex Asmus leading the charge, each with four. Grove and Asmus were both 4 of 6. Hardy made his only 3-point attempt. Tiernan was one-for-three. 

In freethrows the Tigers shot 7 for 12. On to rebounds! The Tigers had 30 total, eleven offensive. Alex Asmus and Huebner led with six each. Jonah dished out five assists to lead there. Alex Asmus had four. The Tigers stole the ball 13 times. Tiernan and Hardy were tops with three each. Kehoe blocked three shots. 

Whoever submitted the stats to Maxpreps, thanks and happy holidays!

 

Addendum: I get reminded so often of the challenges in processing prep sports info, like the need to be aware of when siblings are on a team. A very common thing! So you have to distinguish in your mind between the two. With MACA I have to be aware of the Asmus boys, Alex and Riley. Actually I don't know for a fact that they are brothers. They could be relatives with same last name. The Witts with Alexandria basketball are not brothers, they are cousins.

As I note in the main post, Becca and Beth Holland had to be identified by more than their first initials back when they played! Sometimes the Willmar people will forget there's more than one player with the same last name on a team. Can't say I have never committed that oversight myself! 

Keep in mind that I am now 70 years old. I passed my cognitive test at SCMC, you know, where you have to draw the face of a clock and then get the hands in the right place for a particular time. Oh, and they'll recite three words for you and then check a couple minutes later to see if you can recite them from memory! I said to the nurse, "if I can't remember these, it does not mean I'm having cognitive problems!" I was able to do it this time. I do not look forward to this in the future. I was supposed to have a colonoscopy by now but I am not close enough friends with anyone to arrange for the ride home which is required. I canceled out. I still have the option of doing it. 

   

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com