By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
The NRHEG boys' basketball season came to an end in the opening round of the sub-section playoffs with a 74-32 loss to 2-seed Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial last week.
The game was never close. Ranked fifth in state, the Knights also rolled past Waseca by nine-points in round two of the tournament but lost in the sub-section championship game against No. 4 ranked Maple River.
The Knights scored the first 11 points against the Panthers and never looked back.
“We struggled to get aggressive in our offense, and many times failed to attack when given the opportunity,” NRHEG coach Dan Schmidt said. “LCWM plays such good, high pressure defense, and we just weren't able to take advantage when we got the looks."
Individually for the Panthers: Daxter Lee 13 points; Jaylin Raab 8; Sawyer Prigge 5; Jackson Chrz, Will Tuttle and Jase Knudson all scored 2.
“While the record doesn't show it, when we watch film from the first game of the season to now, we can see how much we're improving,” coach Schmidt reflected. “But, as we've talked about, this isn't an overnight fix. It'll take time to get things going the direction we want, as a program.”
Schmidt told the players after the game he and the coaching staff are extremely proud of the boys and how far they’ve come both on and off the court this season.
“This will be a big off-season for us, at all levels,” Schmidt explained. “If we can utilize our time together this summer, along with the time that the guys can put in on their own, it should make things much easier coming into next season. Coupled with the improvements that they have the opportunities to make, there's reason to be excited about the potential of next season.”
The Panthers graduate three seniors: Brady Schlaak, Sawyer Prigge and Dylan Ingvaldson.
They are coached by first year head coach Dan Schmidt, assisted by Aaron Gilliland and Tyler Schlaak.