DARLINGTON - For Darlington senior Cole McDonald and the Redbirds, the SWAL showdown with No. 3 ranked Mineral Point was for a share of the conference championship and a chance to earn a No. 1 regional seed.
Mineral Point used a stifling 1-3-1 zone to stymie No. 8 ranked Darlington en route to a 59-44 win Tuesday. With the win, Mineral Point (19-0, 12-0 SWAL) has a two-game lead on the Redbirds (18-2, 10-2 SWAL) and Cuba City. The Pointers clinched at least a share of the league title and can win it outright with a win over Boscobel Friday.
"Mineral Point is built to play the 1-3-1 (zone)," McDonald said. "They have a lot of tall and lanky guys. They dared us to throw the ball around up top, and that is what we did instead of attacking the basket. We didn't come out with our A-game tonight and they took it to us. There is a lot of work to be done between now and when we could face them again in the regional. It's an intriguing matchup."
The Pointers, which have four players averaging double figures this season, won the matchup Tuesday. The Pointers received a big game from senior Turner Poad, who scored a game-high 19 points. Poad scored 12 of his points in the first half to ignite an 11-0 Pointers' run.
"He (Poad) definitely would have been the player of the game," Darlington coach Mike Hopkins said.
Mineral Point senior Tarek Ollerich picked up two fouls in the first 24 seconds of the first quarter and was forced to the bench. The Pointers responded by inserting 6-foot-5 senior Jordan Kittleson and playing him at the top of the 1-3-1 zone at times.
"They shocked us with that zone," said Darlington senior Ben Muhlstein, who scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds, had three blocks and three steals. "We have to put this one behind us. It's fun to play them. Hopefully, we will get to see them again."
After shooting 22.2 percent in the first half (4 of 18), the Redbirds shot 50 percent in the second half and finished the game 37.5 percent (15 of 40). Hopkins wanted his team to use more shot and pass fakes in the first half.
"I was disappointed," Hopkins said. "We didn't attack that zone very well in the first half. In the first half we were too tentative. We got the ball where they wanted to trap us deep in the corner."
The Redbirds did a much better job attacking the Pointers' zone in the second half. Darlington sophomore Hunter Johnson, who added 14 points, drained a 3-pointer with 4 minutes, 50 seconds left in the third quarter to cut the Pointers' lead to 25-20. The Pointers went on an 11-2 run to start the fourth quarter and led by as many as 21 points. Mineral Point senior point guard Sy Staver scored 13 points and senior Joey Gorgen added 12 points. The Pointers have multiple players who are adept at penetrating a defense. Staver lived in the paint in the second half.
"We do have a number of guys who can handle the basketball," Mineral Point coach Dan Burreson said. "They are gym rats in the summer. They work so hard so they can handle the ball and make free throws in games like this. The biggest thing is they are unselfish. Every night it's a different leading scorer."
Hopkins understands the Pointers have a lot of weapons, but the ability of Mineral Point to drive to the basket was a key to the second half.
"We wanted to switch on the perimeter," Hopkins said of guarding the Pointers' guards looking to attack the basket. "The idea was to keep them on the perimeter, but we overextended ourselves sometimes."
Burreson credited Kittleson for his defense off the bench.
"I think Jordan had a good defensive effort tonight," Burreson said. "Turner and Sy are experienced and have been through everything before."
Ollerich finished with eight points and six rebounds. With an unbeaten record still intact, Burreson likes the chances of Mineral Point making a tournament run, but he understands everyone will be gunning for the Pointers.
"I would like to think we will be the No. 1 (regional) seed," he said. "We have the fewest losses. Darlington and Cuba City are amazing teams."
Mineral Point used a stifling 1-3-1 zone to stymie No. 8 ranked Darlington en route to a 59-44 win Tuesday. With the win, Mineral Point (19-0, 12-0 SWAL) has a two-game lead on the Redbirds (18-2, 10-2 SWAL) and Cuba City. The Pointers clinched at least a share of the league title and can win it outright with a win over Boscobel Friday.
"Mineral Point is built to play the 1-3-1 (zone)," McDonald said. "They have a lot of tall and lanky guys. They dared us to throw the ball around up top, and that is what we did instead of attacking the basket. We didn't come out with our A-game tonight and they took it to us. There is a lot of work to be done between now and when we could face them again in the regional. It's an intriguing matchup."
The Pointers, which have four players averaging double figures this season, won the matchup Tuesday. The Pointers received a big game from senior Turner Poad, who scored a game-high 19 points. Poad scored 12 of his points in the first half to ignite an 11-0 Pointers' run.
"He (Poad) definitely would have been the player of the game," Darlington coach Mike Hopkins said.
Mineral Point senior Tarek Ollerich picked up two fouls in the first 24 seconds of the first quarter and was forced to the bench. The Pointers responded by inserting 6-foot-5 senior Jordan Kittleson and playing him at the top of the 1-3-1 zone at times.
"They shocked us with that zone," said Darlington senior Ben Muhlstein, who scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds, had three blocks and three steals. "We have to put this one behind us. It's fun to play them. Hopefully, we will get to see them again."
After shooting 22.2 percent in the first half (4 of 18), the Redbirds shot 50 percent in the second half and finished the game 37.5 percent (15 of 40). Hopkins wanted his team to use more shot and pass fakes in the first half.
"I was disappointed," Hopkins said. "We didn't attack that zone very well in the first half. In the first half we were too tentative. We got the ball where they wanted to trap us deep in the corner."
The Redbirds did a much better job attacking the Pointers' zone in the second half. Darlington sophomore Hunter Johnson, who added 14 points, drained a 3-pointer with 4 minutes, 50 seconds left in the third quarter to cut the Pointers' lead to 25-20. The Pointers went on an 11-2 run to start the fourth quarter and led by as many as 21 points. Mineral Point senior point guard Sy Staver scored 13 points and senior Joey Gorgen added 12 points. The Pointers have multiple players who are adept at penetrating a defense. Staver lived in the paint in the second half.
"We do have a number of guys who can handle the basketball," Mineral Point coach Dan Burreson said. "They are gym rats in the summer. They work so hard so they can handle the ball and make free throws in games like this. The biggest thing is they are unselfish. Every night it's a different leading scorer."
Hopkins understands the Pointers have a lot of weapons, but the ability of Mineral Point to drive to the basket was a key to the second half.
"We wanted to switch on the perimeter," Hopkins said of guarding the Pointers' guards looking to attack the basket. "The idea was to keep them on the perimeter, but we overextended ourselves sometimes."
Burreson credited Kittleson for his defense off the bench.
"I think Jordan had a good defensive effort tonight," Burreson said. "Turner and Sy are experienced and have been through everything before."
Ollerich finished with eight points and six rebounds. With an unbeaten record still intact, Burreson likes the chances of Mineral Point making a tournament run, but he understands everyone will be gunning for the Pointers.
"I would like to think we will be the No. 1 (regional) seed," he said. "We have the fewest losses. Darlington and Cuba City are amazing teams."
