NEW GLARUS - It's not often a team has a 6-foot-4 point guard it can feature in the post like Lake Mills senior Turner Moen.
That's exactly what Lake Mills did in cruising to a 57-39 win over New Glarus Friday. Moen scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He scored nine points during a 13-2 fourth quarter run.
"We tried to double team him some in the second half and he made some nice cuts," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "He's a strong kid. For a point guard, he's probably the best post player we have seen this year. We did everything we could against him. There is a reason why he's getting a full ride."
The Glarner Knights (9-13, 5-5 Capitol South) opened the fourth quarter trailing by just six points. Moen, a Southwest Minnesota State Division II recruit, opened the fourth by scoring down low. He then posted up and kicked it out to senior teammate Darren Strasburg who drilled a 3-pointer to give the L-Cats a 45-32 lead with 7 minutes, 9 seconds left in the period. He then blocked a shot that appeared like a goaltending and drilled a 3-pointer to give the L-Cats a 49-34 lead about midway through the fourth quarter. With the win, Lake Mills improves to 15-7, 5-5 Capitol North.
"I told coach to let me guard him one-on-one because they were scoring on cuts," said New Glarus senior Martrell Dixon who scored eight points and had six rebounds. "He (Moen) is the whole offense. It was a good challenge. We should have done a lot more on help side."
Early on, the game had the makings of one that could go down to the wire. Lake Mills senior Ben Converse scored nine of his 11 points in the first half to help the L-Cats jump out to a 15-10 lead in the first quarter. The Knights kept the game within striking distance with two 3-pointers by senior Caleb Fredrickson. Despite shooting 1 of 7 from the free throw line in the first half, the Knights trailed just 26-21 at the half. The Knights finished the game 5 of 14 from the foul line.
"We left a lot of points on the line," Sysko said.
New Glarus sophomore Gavin Binger scored a team-high 10 points to lead the Knights on Senior Night.
The L-Cats outrebounded the Knights 31-15. The L-Cats switched to a 1-3-1 zone late in the third quarter. The Knights were able to rally from a nine-point second half deficit on two occasions. Binger converted a conventional three-point play and Dixon scored down low at the end of the third to cut the L-Cats' lead to 38-32.
"They did a really good job of getting up in our shooters," Sysko said. "We didn't get the same open looks like we got in the first half."
Sysko was proud of his team's play in the first half and the intensity they started with.
"I told them two things after the game. I told them No. 1, I thought we played with great intensity and heart," he said. "No. 2, I told them they should be able to play with good teams like that. We have to believe if we bring that effort every night we can run with teams."
New Glarus will now gear up to host a WIAA Division 4 regional game against Belleville at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.
"Every time we play Belleville it's a playoff-type atmosphere," Sysko said. "This will just amp things up. I know it will be an exciting atmosphere."
That's exactly what Lake Mills did in cruising to a 57-39 win over New Glarus Friday. Moen scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He scored nine points during a 13-2 fourth quarter run.
"We tried to double team him some in the second half and he made some nice cuts," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "He's a strong kid. For a point guard, he's probably the best post player we have seen this year. We did everything we could against him. There is a reason why he's getting a full ride."
The Glarner Knights (9-13, 5-5 Capitol South) opened the fourth quarter trailing by just six points. Moen, a Southwest Minnesota State Division II recruit, opened the fourth by scoring down low. He then posted up and kicked it out to senior teammate Darren Strasburg who drilled a 3-pointer to give the L-Cats a 45-32 lead with 7 minutes, 9 seconds left in the period. He then blocked a shot that appeared like a goaltending and drilled a 3-pointer to give the L-Cats a 49-34 lead about midway through the fourth quarter. With the win, Lake Mills improves to 15-7, 5-5 Capitol North.
"I told coach to let me guard him one-on-one because they were scoring on cuts," said New Glarus senior Martrell Dixon who scored eight points and had six rebounds. "He (Moen) is the whole offense. It was a good challenge. We should have done a lot more on help side."
Early on, the game had the makings of one that could go down to the wire. Lake Mills senior Ben Converse scored nine of his 11 points in the first half to help the L-Cats jump out to a 15-10 lead in the first quarter. The Knights kept the game within striking distance with two 3-pointers by senior Caleb Fredrickson. Despite shooting 1 of 7 from the free throw line in the first half, the Knights trailed just 26-21 at the half. The Knights finished the game 5 of 14 from the foul line.
"We left a lot of points on the line," Sysko said.
New Glarus sophomore Gavin Binger scored a team-high 10 points to lead the Knights on Senior Night.
The L-Cats outrebounded the Knights 31-15. The L-Cats switched to a 1-3-1 zone late in the third quarter. The Knights were able to rally from a nine-point second half deficit on two occasions. Binger converted a conventional three-point play and Dixon scored down low at the end of the third to cut the L-Cats' lead to 38-32.
"They did a really good job of getting up in our shooters," Sysko said. "We didn't get the same open looks like we got in the first half."
Sysko was proud of his team's play in the first half and the intensity they started with.
"I told them two things after the game. I told them No. 1, I thought we played with great intensity and heart," he said. "No. 2, I told them they should be able to play with good teams like that. We have to believe if we bring that effort every night we can run with teams."
New Glarus will now gear up to host a WIAA Division 4 regional game against Belleville at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.
"Every time we play Belleville it's a playoff-type atmosphere," Sysko said. "This will just amp things up. I know it will be an exciting atmosphere."
