December 22, 2017 at 12:59 p.m.
Brotherly blowout
Derek Lemmens' Hodags down Nate Lemmens' Warriors 57-37
Brotherly blowout
Rhinelander started the game on a 19-3 run and got a double-double from senior Owen White as Derek's Hodags cruised to a 57-37 win over Nate's Warriors Thursday night at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Rhinelander (6-1, 2-0 Great Northern) came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 19 points in the game's opening eight minutes. Runs of 7-0 and 5-0 helped push the Hodags' advantage to 19 at the half, 34-15.
Things slowed down a bit for the Hodags offensively in the second half, as they finished the night 40 percent from the field (20 of 50) and committed 10 turnovers, but the Hodags held Wausau West to only 29 percent shooting (12 of 42) and forced 17 turnovers.
"They did a great job coming out ready to play," Derek Lemmens said. "They just weren't able to keep up that intensity consistently throughout the game. Things got a little bit muddy but I really like how they came out ready to play."
White had a field day for Rhinelander against a much smaller Wausau West squad, which was without big man David Bagby due to an injury suffered earlier in the week against D.C. Everest. With no player in the West starting lineup taller than 6-1, the 6-6 White racked up 24 points and collected 10 rebounds. He also blocked five shots, all in the first half.
"Them losing their big on Tuesday really played into our advantage. We had a lot of size on them and we were able to do a lot inside," Derek Lemmens said.
Much like a win six days prior at Northland Pines when the Hodags started on a 20-0 run, the game was practically over before it started. Brock Lieder and White scored a pair of baskets inside, Junior Howard connected on a 3, Brad Quade got a transition layup off a steal, White scored inside and Quade hit a triple as part of a 14-0 push that gave the Hodags a 16-point edge with 10:14 remaining in the first half.
The lead got as high as 22 in the first half before West made a little 7-0 run, but the Hodags responded with baskets by Reese Flores and Howard, and a free throw by Lieder, to push the advantage back to 20.
White scored six straight points midway through the second half to help put the game on ice. He dunked off a bullet pass into the lane by Comer, hit a pair of free throws and scored another basket inside to put Rhinelander ahead 51-24 with 7:10 to play.
Despite the win, Derek Lemmens said he wasn't exactly thrilled with how his team finished, at least offensively. Rhinelander shot only 33 percent in the second half (7 of 21) and committed seven turnovers.
"A lot of it was just focus," he said. "I don't know how focused we were at times. Again, we were just very inconsistent tonight. Once we got that nice lead we worked so hard to get, we kind of tired to get fancy at times, lost focus and that happens. We're human beings, but that's something we want to work on."
Mitchell Michalske scored 12 points to lead Wausau West (2-7, 0-3 Wis. Valley), connecting on 4 of 6 shots from 3-point range. Mitchell Zahurones added 11 points for the Warriors.
Thursday's game marked the third straight time that Derek's Hodags have defeated Nate's Warriors, and fourth time in five tries overall.
The previous four games were decided by a combined 15 points.
"He's got a team that plays hard," Derek Lemmens said of Nate's Warriors. "They just have to continue to work. They're not as skilled, but they play hard."
Howard added 12 points in the victory for Rhinelander, which will return to action against Waupaca Dec. 29 at the Miazga Gym.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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