April 6, 2023 at 6:21 a.m.

Team review: RHS boys' basketball

Hodag Hoops struggles through injury-riddled season
Team review: RHS boys' basketball
Team review: RHS boys' basketball

By Jeremy [email protected]

Given the history and tradition of the Rhinelander High School boys' basketball team, a 9-16 record during the 2022-23 season on the surface seems like a disappointment.

However, considering all the factors that worked against the Hodags this season, coach Derek Lemmens said, overall, the year was respectable.

Despite losing a number of key seniors that helped lead the Hodags on a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 in Division 2 in 2021-22, the Hodags did not water down their schedule this season, playing all seven schools in the Wisconsin Valley Conference outside of league play. Inside the league, Rhinelander went 6-6, which was a solid feat considering the Hodags played against two teams that reached the sectional semifinals -Medford and Mosinee - and another in Northland Pines that was ranked in Division 3 at points throughout the season.

"The teams that we play are the best in the area," Lemmens said last month during the team's season-ending banquet. "The average enrollment of the teams we play is probably 1,300 to 1,500. We're always playing bigger schools, always trying to challenge ourselves. Although the wins might not be there, these guys stood toe-to-toe with a lot of good teams."

What's more, the Hodags dealt with a lack of size much of the season, due to injury, getting a combined six games out of forwards Garrett Younker and Max Ratty. Sixth man Truman Lamers missed a number of games due to a knee injury, starting guard Kyle Brown was slowed by a sore back midway through the year, and Rhinelander had a number of other instances where players missed games or were limited due to illness.

"The season itself was full of ups and downs," Lemmens said. "Our final record was 9-16 but keep in mind, one, we start out with one of our only people above 6-3 (Garrett Younker) tearing his ACL (prior to the season) and then one of our other players who would have played a very important role just not able to get past injury in Max Ratty. Then just the number of injuries that occurred after there - whether it's a tooth knocked out, rolling ankles, hurting knees - it just seemed like one thing after another. It was really special to see that next man up mentality and guys stepping up."

Here are five storylines from the recently completed season.

Offensive woes

Overall, Rhinelander struggled mightily at times during the season, averaging 50.3 points per game, while finishing less than 40% from the field overall. The 50-point/40% parameters were hurdles the Hodags had difficulty clearing at points during the season.

The Hodags failed to crack 40% from the floor 16 times in 25 games this season, going 4-12 in those contests. Rhinelander failed to shoot at least 40% in each of its first save games. The Hodags also failed to score 50 points in 14 games this season, going 1-13 in those games.

Ironically, the lone game Rhinelander won when scoring less than 50 points was also its worst shooting night of the year. Rhinelander went 24% from the field when edged Antigo 32-31, winning on a Will Gretzinger free throw with 2.5 seconds remaining.

That win came at the end of a stretch were Rhinelander had won just one of its previous nine contests. Rhinelander would pick up one more win before the end of the regular season, edging Tomahawk 52-42. But even that night, the Hodags managed to shoot only 34.5% from the field.

"We just lacked energy and, offensively, we didn't shoot the ball great. We weren't overly patient," Lemmens said afterward. "We didn't have much inside presence at all. It's just kind of that same things where we're not making shots, we're not making plays.

Ashland anomaly

One thing did seem to fix Rhinelander's struggling offense this season - playing the Ashland Oredockers.

Rhinelander faced Ashland twice and put together its two best offensive performances. The Hodags knocked down 11 3-pointers and shot a season-best 59.6% from the field in an 85-46 win over Ashland Dec. 28. It was nearly a carbon-copy when Ashland returned to the Miazga Gym in the playoffs exactly two months later. Rhinelander shot 55% and hit seven triples in a 73-49 win.

The 85 and 73 points were the Hodags' top two scoring outputs of the year.

Coincidentally, the Hodags shared the ball well in those games with a season-high 25 assists in the first meeting and 22 helpers in the second.

"They shared the basketball really well and I liked that guys were aggressive for their own shot," Lemmens said after the playoff contest. "I feel like we've had some games where guys are passive and don't want those opportunities. I thought, today, everyone hunted them ... Guys were sharing the basketball and creating opportunities for each other."

Getting by rivals

After Ashland, Rhinelander's best offensive efforts came against GNC rival Lakeland. The Hodags shot 54% and 49% as they swept Lakeland 68-57 and 57-53.

Those wins moved Lemmens to 19-3 against former RHS boys' basketball coach Rich Fortier. After the Feb. 10 in Minocqua, Lemmens said he cherishes the opportunities against his old mentor not knowing how many more meetings will be left - especially with Fortier's youngest son, Will, set to graduate this spring.

"He's been such a huge part of my entire life - as a player, as a coach. It's always bittersweet, but it's obviously enjoyable getting the win," Lemmens said. "We'll talk some smack sometime down the road, but I really admire him and he's done so much for me, and continues to do so much for me. He's just an amazing person in my eyes and I'm just proud to share these opportunities."

Overall Rhinelander went 4-1 this season against teams coached by those with Hodag connections. Rhinelander swept Antigo in former Hodag assistant Shaun Smith's first year at the helm. The lone loss came against Nate Lemmens' Wausau West squad. The Hodags fell 68-47, making only the second time that Nate Lemmens has defeated his older brother and his alma mater.

Statbook

Gretzinger ended up as Rhinelander's most consistent scoring threat throughout the season. He averaged 15 points per game and was held to single digits only three times during the season - though one of those occasions was a two-point effort in a season-ending loss at Fox Valley Lutheran.

Gretzinger was Rhinelander's leading 3-point shooter (69 3s, 35.4%), top free throw shooter (33-42, 78.6%) and the Hodags' top rebounder at 4.6 points per game.

"He had a big task this year and really started to get a lot of notice from other teams," Lemmens said. "He really started getting defended with a heavy focus. Teams threw a lot of players at him and a lot of different things to try to stop him. Despite still being a little undersized, he still found ways to score and help his team."

Brown was second on the team at 9.5 points per game and Lamers added 9.1 points a game off the bench despite missing nine games due to a knee injury. Another player who mainly came in off the bench, junior Will Quinn led the team in assists (3.4) and steals (2.2) per game.

What's next

The Hodags will graduate some key pieces in Brown and fellow guards Kaleb Winter and Jordan LeGere, but will return the majority of the rotation intact next year.

Having Ratty, Younker and Lamers healthy would be provide the team some height and athleticism that was lacking at times throughout the year. Plus the Hodags had a couple of underclassmen - freshman Devon Feck and sophomore Seth Nofftz - who showed flashes and earned more minutes late in the season.

Add in the fact that the Hodags went 14-8 at the JV level and 16-5 at the JV2 level this year, plus the fact that Medford, Northland Pines and Lakeland will be impacted heavily by graduation and the Hodags have the chance to be right back in the mix in the GNC next year.

"We have a lot coming back and we have two guys that never really got on the court for us that are coming back that we except to be big contributors and a little bigger," Lemmens said following the season-ending loss at Fox Valley Lutheran. "We're excited about where we're going in the next few years and that we have coming up. I think we have some talented freshmen. We have some talented young people in general and just some physicality and some size. This year, we were always battling bigger people. Hopefully, moving forward, we have a few advantages here and there with the size department."

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].

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