Post by Admin on Nov 13, 2014 13:21:55 GMT -6
VIA Josie Oliver www.southernminn.com/le_sueur_news_herald/sports/article_98beed24-6fb9-5bc6-a78f-fb6a9608976e.html
COACHES
Head coach: Don Marcussen, 3rd season coaching at LS-H, 26th year coaching boys basketball
Assistant coaches: Brad Schmidt, Kyle Savage
KEY PLAYERS
Riley McGraw is a senior 6-foot-5-inch center. He is a three-year letter winner. Last year he had the best free-throw percentage for the team, shooting 80.6 percent. He was the second-leading scorer and averaged 10.7 points per game. McGraw was the third leading rebounder averaging 4.4 per game. He was the leading blocker with 1.4 per game.
“Riley has been our ‘big guy’ the past couple of years, but he has really worked on becoming a pretty good outside shooting threat as well. He has great footwork and has really improved on his finishing around the rim. He also gets up the floor very well for a big guy,” Marcussen said.
Luke Smith is a senior 6-foot-1-inch guard. He is a two-year letter winner and was voted “Mr. Hustle” by the team last year.
“Luke has been our point guard for the past two years and has done an excellent job of getting the ball down the floor and setting us up into our half-court offense. He also is assigned the toughest match-up most nights on defense as well and really takes pride on this part of the game as well,” Marcussen said.
Jordan Kahlow is a senior 5-foot-10 guard. He is a two-year letter winner. Kahlow led the team in steals last year, averaging 2.2 per game. He earned Minnesota River Conference Honorable Mention last year. He was the third lead scorer last year averaging 10.5 per game and was second in rebounding averaging 4.7 per game.
"Jordan has developed into one of the better outside shooters in the MRC the past year. He also does a great job of getting to the rim on his driving to the lane and has very good body control when he is airborne with the ball. Jordan also is a very good rebounder for someone of his size,” Marcussen said.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON
Tyler Eccles is a 6-foot-2-inch junior forward. He is a one-year letter winner. Last year Eccles was voted “Most Improved” by the team.
“He is a very aggressive layer around the basket and did a great job coming off the bench last year for us,” Marcussen said.
Coleton Nelson is a 6-foot-5-inch senior center. Alex Nelson is a 6-foot forward senior. Both are one-year letter winners. “Both will be strong role players that need to log some very good minutes for us if we are going to be successful,” Marcussen said.
Joey Luna, 5-foot-10-inch, and Ben Barron, 5-foot-8-inch, are both junior guards. “They both will be counted on to come off the bench and give our starting guards a break,” Marcussen said. "Joey brings good offense but even better defense to the floor and Ben gives us another deep threat shooter from the 3-ponit line."
MOVED ON
Brady and Bradley Rose were starters and MRC All-Conference players. They are both playing at Bethany Lutheran in Mankato.
Ethan Dwyer and Tom Schwarz both came off the bench for the Giants last year.
2014-15 SEASON OUTLOOK
“I feel that we have enough experience to be competitive in the MRC as well as in the Section. We made a nice run last year at the end of the season to get into the Section Championship game, but nothing is given from one year to the next. We will build off of what we do best and try to add new things as the season progresses,” Marcussen said.
Marcussen said the MRC favorites should be Watertown-Mayer, Jordan and Tri City-United. Section favorites should be Waseca, Glencoe-Silver Lake and TCU.
The Giants’ overall record last year was 16-12, 6-8 in the MRC
COACHES
Head coach: Don Marcussen, 3rd season coaching at LS-H, 26th year coaching boys basketball
Assistant coaches: Brad Schmidt, Kyle Savage
KEY PLAYERS
Riley McGraw is a senior 6-foot-5-inch center. He is a three-year letter winner. Last year he had the best free-throw percentage for the team, shooting 80.6 percent. He was the second-leading scorer and averaged 10.7 points per game. McGraw was the third leading rebounder averaging 4.4 per game. He was the leading blocker with 1.4 per game.
“Riley has been our ‘big guy’ the past couple of years, but he has really worked on becoming a pretty good outside shooting threat as well. He has great footwork and has really improved on his finishing around the rim. He also gets up the floor very well for a big guy,” Marcussen said.
Luke Smith is a senior 6-foot-1-inch guard. He is a two-year letter winner and was voted “Mr. Hustle” by the team last year.
“Luke has been our point guard for the past two years and has done an excellent job of getting the ball down the floor and setting us up into our half-court offense. He also is assigned the toughest match-up most nights on defense as well and really takes pride on this part of the game as well,” Marcussen said.
Jordan Kahlow is a senior 5-foot-10 guard. He is a two-year letter winner. Kahlow led the team in steals last year, averaging 2.2 per game. He earned Minnesota River Conference Honorable Mention last year. He was the third lead scorer last year averaging 10.5 per game and was second in rebounding averaging 4.7 per game.
"Jordan has developed into one of the better outside shooters in the MRC the past year. He also does a great job of getting to the rim on his driving to the lane and has very good body control when he is airborne with the ball. Jordan also is a very good rebounder for someone of his size,” Marcussen said.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON
Tyler Eccles is a 6-foot-2-inch junior forward. He is a one-year letter winner. Last year Eccles was voted “Most Improved” by the team.
“He is a very aggressive layer around the basket and did a great job coming off the bench last year for us,” Marcussen said.
Coleton Nelson is a 6-foot-5-inch senior center. Alex Nelson is a 6-foot forward senior. Both are one-year letter winners. “Both will be strong role players that need to log some very good minutes for us if we are going to be successful,” Marcussen said.
Joey Luna, 5-foot-10-inch, and Ben Barron, 5-foot-8-inch, are both junior guards. “They both will be counted on to come off the bench and give our starting guards a break,” Marcussen said. "Joey brings good offense but even better defense to the floor and Ben gives us another deep threat shooter from the 3-ponit line."
MOVED ON
Brady and Bradley Rose were starters and MRC All-Conference players. They are both playing at Bethany Lutheran in Mankato.
Ethan Dwyer and Tom Schwarz both came off the bench for the Giants last year.
2014-15 SEASON OUTLOOK
“I feel that we have enough experience to be competitive in the MRC as well as in the Section. We made a nice run last year at the end of the season to get into the Section Championship game, but nothing is given from one year to the next. We will build off of what we do best and try to add new things as the season progresses,” Marcussen said.
Marcussen said the MRC favorites should be Watertown-Mayer, Jordan and Tri City-United. Section favorites should be Waseca, Glencoe-Silver Lake and TCU.
The Giants’ overall record last year was 16-12, 6-8 in the MRC