Hodag Hoops fends of Lakeland, stays alive in GNC title race

Outside shots were not falling Friday night for the Rhinelander High School boys’ basketball team, so it took care of Great Northern Conference rival Lakeland the old-fashioned way.

Will Gretzinger led all scorers with 25 points and the Hodags fended off Lakeland down the stretch in a 65-55 win at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.

Rhinelander (12-9, 8-2 Great Northern) made only four 3-pointers on the night but was able to work the ball inside consistently against a taller T-Bird squad. The Hodags finished the night 24 of 39 from inside the arc and spread the wealth around as they remained tied for second in the GNC, a game behind Mosinee with a big showdown looming in Mosinee this Friday night. 

“The 3-ball wasn’t falling very well for us. The guys I thought our inside touches and the way we attacked the hoop was really helpful,” Hodag coach Derek Lemmens said. “But, at the end of the day, the stat that stands out was four turnovers. Even when things weren’t going our way, those details really helped.

    Rhinelander’s Will Quinn ducks under a block attempt by Lakeland’s Danny Gahler during the first half of a GNC boys’ basketball game at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Friday, Feb. 9. (Bob Mainahrdt for the River News)
  

Danny Gahler had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead Lakeland (11-8, 7-4 Great Northern). His make with 1:40 remaining got the T-Birds within two, down 57-55. After a long possession that included a couple of fouls as Lakeland tried to get Rhinelander into the bonus, the Hodags found James Heck open on the block for a layup off an inbound play to go up by four. Truman Lamers was fouled off a missed Lakeland 3 and made both ends of a one-and-one with 20.8 seconds to play. 

Jalend Cobb missed a 3 on the other end for Lakeland. Will Gretzinger got the ball on a long rebound and scored on a fast break to clinch the game in the final seconds. He then put the cherry on the sundae of Rhinelander’s regular season sweep of the T-Birds by stealing the ensuing inbound pass in the Lakeland backcourt and making a layup just before time expired. 

Gretzinger gave Rhinelander the lead for good on a runner with 10:56 remaining, part of an 8-0 run that put the Hodags up 44-38 midway through the second half. Prior to that, the game was a seesaw battle that featured seven ties and eight lead changes. 

“This was a good win. It felt like a win,” Lemmens said. “Some of our wins they don’t feel like a win because we’re playing sloppy and getting by on just being more talented. This was a gritty win. Guys found the way. Guys played hard. Guys played together. That’s really exciting.”

Rhinelander used a 12-3 run in the first half to take its largest lead, up 24-16 with 5:14 to play. Lakeland outscored Rhinelander 9-2 the rest of the way, including an Evan Zoch layup just before the horn to cut the Hodags’ advantage to 26-25 at the half. 

A team that typically likes the 3-pointers, the Hodags were efficient when working the ball into the post on Friday night. Senior forward James Heck score 10 points and Rhinelander’s forwards were an efficient 8 of 13 from the field in the contest.

“Our guards did a nice job of handling the basketball and I thought we passed to our bigs when they were open and had that nice balance of when to attack and when to dish,” Lemmens said. “I thought we took good shots. At the end of the day, those were big difference makers and one of the reasons we had four turnovers.”

Despite a cold night from distance, the Hodags still managed to shoot 48% overall, going 28 of 59 from the field. 

Cobb had 14 points for Lakeland while Nate Ariola chipped in eight. The T-Birds finished the night 20 of 46 from the field in what Lemmens said looked like a role reversal of how the two teams usually like to play offense.

“I thought they would be a little more inside but, at the end of the day, our defense was a little sketchy at times with the way they were beating us off the dribble, not being in position,” he said. “We allowed Lakeland to kind of look like us with the dribble penetration and we’re doing more of the post touches.”

Rhinelander hopes to use the win to springboard a late-season surge. Despite dropping three of four coming into the contest, the Hodags still control their own destiny for at least a share of the conference title if they can beat Mosinee on the road this coming Friday and then knock off Medford at home Feb. 22.

Prior to that the Hodags play their final non-conference game of the season as they take on Shawano on the road this evening.

“Another good test for us. It’s a game we’ve got to win,” Lemmens said. “We’ve got to show that we can beat these teams on the road and we’ve got to start telling ourselves that this is what we’re capable of doing and just continue to pump up our resume so that we can get the seed that we want.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].