June 14, 2021 at 1:18 p.m.
Hodag hoops represented well at Kiwanis Classic Border Bash
Hodag hoops represented well at Kiwanis Classic Border Bash
Rhinelander High School had two representatives in the girls' game, and three in the boys' game. All five left winners at the Northern Wisconsin All-Stars swept both contests.
The night featured a ton of points - Northern Wisconsin won the girls' game 108-99 and the boys' game 172-114 - plenty of 3s, a few slam dunks and, above all else, plenty of fun for some of the top senior basketball players from Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
"That was a lot of fun. That was the most fun I've had playing basketball in a long time," said Hodag senior Ross Skeen, who had 14 points in the boys' contest.
Skeen, Travis Towne and Quinn Lamers represented the Hodags boys' team in the event, while Rebecca Lawrence was on a Northern Wisconsin girls' squad that was skippered by RHS girls' basketball coach Ryan Clark.
"That was definitely fun to play one more game, especially with a bunch of girls that are all the same skill level, if not a little better," Lawrence said. "It was great competition. I had never played any Michigan teams before. It's great seeing what other states can bring to basketball."
The games were the cap of an afternoon surrounding basketball. The girls' teams practiced in the early afternoon, followed by the boys' teams. The event also included free throw, 3-point and slam dunk contests.
For Clark, who was slated to coach Rhinelander seniors Kenedy Van Zile and Cynthia Beavers in last year's Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coaching Lawrence in the Border Bash was a nice consolation.
"I didn't have the chance to coach Kenedy and Cynthia one more time, so it was nice to get one more with Rebecca," he said.
Northern Wisconsin girls' pull away in second half
Northern Wisconsin rallied from down as many as 10 in the first half to defeat Northern Michigan 108-99 in the girls' game.
Catholic Memorial's Alyssa Nimz scored a game-high 29 points and added 10 rebounds as she took home MVP honors. She hit her first five looks of the second half, including a layup with 20:04 remaining in the 26-minute half, that gave Northern Wisconsin the lead for good at 66-64 after trailing 52-48 at the break.
Northern Wisconsin pushed the lead to as many as 17 points with 7:20 to play and Northern Michigan did not get back within single digits until the final minute of the contest.
Edgar's Makenna Guden added 24 points and 11 rebounds as one of three Northern Wisconsin players who finished with a double-double. West De Pere's Alexa Thomson had 15 points and 14 rebounds.
"They were a lot of fun, super receptive kids," Clark said of his squad. "Even at the end, we had one kid who hadn't scored but was playing really well, and they tried to get her a basket. Nobody cared who scored. That's what made it fun."
Lawrence, who will play with Thomson in the WBCA D2 All-Star game next month, finished with nine points for Northern Wisconsin. She scored on two driving layups in the first half, and then added two straight scores in the second that put Northern Wisconsin up 74-67 with 16:17 to play. She added a free throw that put Wisconsin up 97-86 with 3:56 to play.
"She did a really nice job. She played really well today. I was happy for her. She's earned it," Clark said.
The Northern Wisconsin team featured several players who Clark had coached against previously, including Guden, Merrill's Courtney Kruger (15 points) and Lakeland's Amaya White (3 points).
"It was nice to have a point guard like Courtney, who's hurt me the last how many years she's played varsity," he said. "McKenna Guden, we played against her in the scrimmage. She's a nice player. Then Amaya White, I said, 'This is the first time I'm actually going to cheer for you to hit 3-pointers.'"
Memominee's Emma Anderson finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds to lead six Northern Michigan players in double digits.
Northern Wisconsin boys' light up the scoreboard
Points were scored at a dizzying rate in the boys' contest. Ashland's Kevon Powell took home MVP honors with a 31-point effort. He led seven Northern Wisconsin players in double digits as they routed Northern Michigan 172-114 in the nightcap.
Powell, who also scored 31 points in a 2020 playoff game at Rhinelander which the Hodags won 95-91, lit up the scoreboard again on Wednesday night - and he wasn't alone. Hunter Ingles of Winneconne hit seven 3s in a 29-point effort, Cade Faber of Abbotsford added 27 points and 11 rebounds and Pacelli's Weston Peplinski poured in 18 as Northern Wisconsin shot 51.9% (69 of 133) on the night.
"If this was our team in the regular season, we'd be putting up those numbers all the time. Doing it again in July will be a lot of fun," said Skeen, who will take part in the WBCA All-Star Game next month.
Northern Wisconsin jumped out to a 21-9 run to start the game and never looked back, building a 20-point lead with 12:05 left in the first as it raced out to an 86-55 halftime advantage.
Skeen finished with 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting, including an early 3 that gave Northern Wisconsin a 24-12 lead. Towne added 15 points, including five in a row early in the second half that got Wisconsin to 100 points.
Towne was a last-minute addition to the roster, filling in for Lamers, who sat out with a sore hand.
"I got the call yesterday and I wanted more time playing basketball, so I just went for it. It was fun," Towne said.
Skeen and Towne had one last hookup as Hodag teammates as Towne chucked it ahead to Skeen for a fast break layup in the game's final minute.
"It was a lot of fun, last time playing as Hodags together," Skeen said. "I know Quinn didn't get to play but being here, it was a fun time."
Lamers still suited up for the contest. He practiced and warmed up with team but did not play.
"I was unsure whether I was even going to come and I was so glad that I did. It was a lot of fun, meeting up with the guys you've played against your whole life. Playing together for once, it was a lot of fun," he said. "It was a great experience. I'm glad I got nominated to do it and came out here."
Wisconsin Rapids' Dan Witter coached the Northern Wisconsin squad. Rhinelander coach Derek Lemmens enjoyed the contest from the bleachers.
"It was fun watching those guys one last time," he said. "They looked good, they represented and they had fun. At the end of the day, that's what matters."
Christing Hocking of Jeffers had 29 points to lead Northern Michigan. Marquette's Kameron Carp and Negaunee's Eli Luokkala scored 20 points each.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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