MUScoop
MUScoop => Hangin' at the Al => Topic started by: Skatastrophy on February 27, 2015, 09:53:24 AM
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The links don't work, but here's a DL: http://www.postcrescent.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2015/02/27/rockets-deny-ghosts-title/24104807/.
There's a video associated with the article. If you browse here (http://www.postcrescent.com/sports/varsity/) you can click on the story, "Rockets deny Ghosts a title."
Here's the text
KAUKAUNA – At 6-foot-11 inches and highly skilled, Matt Heldt presents a monster of a matchup problem.
Even top-notch squads like the Kaukauna Ghosts find themselves in a world of hurt when trying to defend inside the lane against the towering Marquette University recruit.
The smaller Ghosts had no answer for Heldt Thursday night, and the Neenah big man made sure the Rockets closed the regular season with a blast of momentum.
Heldt was dominant inside the paint, scoring 25 points to lift Neenah to a 63-56 boys' basketball win and foil Kaukauna's Fox Valley Association championship hopes.
The Ghosts could have won a share of the FVA title with a victory, but a combination of Heldt, clutch free-throw shooting and strong play off the bench by sophomore Joe Jung and junior Payton Mericle sparked the Rockets to an inspired win. Kimberly went on to win the FVA championship outright, while Neenah and Kaukauna tied for second at 15-3.
"This hopefully sends us into the tournament on the right note," said Neenah coach Scott Bork. "It's a great win. Matt was obviously very good. He's what we have to play off of. "
Kaukauna coach Mike Schalow didn't hesitate when asked what the difference in the game was.
"It's hard to contain the inside presence of Heldt," said Schalow. "He's a load. He's got eight or 10 inches on the guys we have. I thought we battled and worked really hard. We played with a tremendous amount of heart. Our guys competed, but whenever they needed a basket, they got one by going inside to Heldt."
Playing in front of a near-capacity crowd on the road, Heldt scored 14 of his points in the second half against a sharp-shooting Ghosts team, whose tallest starter is 6-3 Nic Patterson.
"We played patient basketball and we never rushed things," said Heldt. "This is a great way to finish the regular season. It was a great atmosphere and I really think it will prepare some of our inexperienced guys for what's to come."
Heldt had plenty of help. Jung had a huge game off the bench, hitting three three-pointers and scoring 16 points, while Mericle hit four big free throws at crunch time.
"Both Joe and Payton had really good weeks of practice and it was great to see our young guys on the bench really step up," said Bork. "We had some foul trouble and had to rely on them and boy, they really came through."
With Jung and Mericle sinking six fourth-quarter free throws, Neenah was a perfect 12-of-12 from the foul line in the final quarter. The Rockets (18-4 overall) scored their final eight points on free throws.
"We have kids who put a lot of time in the gym, working on their shooting and free throws," said Bork. "We tell them you have to make 50 free throws every day in practice, and we have them do pressure free throws, where they have to run if they don't make the free throw."
Kaukauna (19-3) was outscored 12-5 in the game's final three minutes. The Ghosts sliced a four-point Neenah lead to 55-54 with 1:16 left on a Jordan McCabe three-pointer, but Neenah kept getting to the line and knocking down clutch free throws.
McCabe, a gifted freshman, and Patterson led the balanced Ghosts with 13 points apiece, while Adam Smith and Carter Belling added 12 apiece.
"This is a seasoned, very capable team," said Schalow. "If we stay together, I think we'll be a very tough team to beat as we go forward."
Takeaways from the video: Heldt plays nicely against middle-schoolers. Additionally, he doesn't blink while giving interviews.
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Just be trilled he's no Youssoupha Mbao, ai na?
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Just be trilled he's no Youssoupha Mbao, ai na?
Or Roman Muller
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The links don't work, but here's a DL: http://www.postcrescent.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2015/02/27/rockets-deny-ghosts-title/24104807/.
There's a video associated with the article. If you browse here (http://www.postcrescent.com/sports/varsity/) you can click on the story, "Rockets deny Ghosts a title."
Here's the text
Takeaways from the video: Heldt plays nicely against middle-schoolers. Additionally, he doesn't blink while giving interviews.
Yeah middle-schoolers like top 25 teams in the country in Germantown that he's played each of the past 2 years.
The guy plays for a top 5 team in the State. They went to the Division 1 State title. He also shot up the recruiting rankings based on his play in AAU ball last season. But my guess is he was playing down with the 7th graders.
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Yeah middle-schoolers like top 25 teams in the country in Germantown that he's played each of the past 2 years.
The guy plays for a top 5 team in the State. They went to the Division 1 State title. He also shot up the recruiting rankings based on his play in AAU ball last season. But my guess is he was playing down with the 7th graders.
So you didn't watch the video then?
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So you didn't watch the video then?
Yeah, Kaukauna's tallest starter is 6'3". Neenah hasn't played 25 games against Kaukauna this season.
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I really like Heldt's hands. However, I do not think he is 6'11". I would say 6'9"
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I really like Heldt's hands. However, I do not think he is 6'11". I would say 6'9"
Yes, that is about right.
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Every big man in high school plays a portion of their games against short competition. (eg, Diamond Stone). That is why they often struggle making the transition to college ball, and why it can be difficult to scout them properly.
Look at Alec Brown of UWGB. 7'1" center hardly recruited at all at the D1 level. UWGB gets him...everyone wondering how other schoools missed him...and he was drafted last year.
Then you have other centers that look like sure things, who end up busts. Evan Anderson is an extreme example of this.
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Yeah, Kaukauna's tallest starter is 6'3". Neenah hasn't played 25 games against Kaukauna this season.
So you didn't read the "Takeaways from the video:" part then?
If you just want to argue on the internet, let me know. I'll let you be right if you want.
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Too bad out prize recruit could not play as well against middle-schoolers. We are doomed next year a bunch of middle-schoolers beat Rice Lake and held HE under 20.
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Kaukauna is good,they should play Rice Lake for the Division 2 title. His outside shot looks really nice,very good free throw shooter.Got up and down the floor better then I thought he would. He needs conditioning though.
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I watched the game earlier this season between Kaukauna and Neenah, which I think Kaukauna won.
As mentioned Jordan McCabe is a pretty good freshman that could end up in D1.
He had a few moments in the spotlight three years ago, showing off his dribbling ability at the NBA All-Star game and later on Ellen. Billed as "The New White Chocolate".
He apparently was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters although I don't know what that really means.
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The biggest issue with McCabe is age. Most incoming high school freshmen are 14 at the start of the year. McCabe is 16. He will be 20 before he'd ever play a college game. So, sure he looks very good for a freshman but he's basically a junior in age.
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I watched the game earlier this season between Kaukauna and Neenah, which I think Kaukauna won.
As mentioned Jordan McCabe is a pretty good freshman that could end up in D1.
He had a few moments in the spotlight a few years ago, showing off his dribbling ability at the NBA All-Star game, several NBA halftime shows and later on Ellen. Billed as "The New White Chocolate".
He apparently was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters although I don't know what that really means.
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The biggest issue with McCabe is age. Most incoming high school freshmen are 14 at the start of the year. McCabe is 16. He will be 20 before he'd ever play a college game. So, sure he looks very good for a freshman but he's basically a junior in age.
Really? So he's 16 now? Which means he was 15 to start his freshman year? I think we did okay with our last point guard from the state of Wisconsin who was like that...
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He was 16 in early September according to Freeport Warrior in an older thread.
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He was 16 in early September according to Freeport Warrior in an older thread.
Got it. If he can play I have no problem with it. The NBA is where the age becomes an issue.
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I think the bigger issue with McCabe's age is physical maturity. Is he done growing at 5'10"? Maybe he'll be a good college player but hard to project how much upside he has. Not a typical freshman age wise. For comparison, Sacar Anim is 17 and a SR.