WIAA DIV. 2 BOYS BASKETBALL - Mustangs rarely miss again, end Raiders’ basketball season

WIAA DIV. 2 BOYS BASKETBALL

The Medford Raiders hoped the second trip to Menomonie in two and a half weeks would produce a better showing than the first, but unfortunately, the sequel wasn’t much different in a season-ending 74-31 loss to the Mustangs in Friday’s WIAA Division 2 boys basketball regional semifinal.

Just like Medford’s 94-52 loss on Feb. 18, the Mustangs jumped ahead early, but the Raiders were able to keep it competitive for a short stretch in the first half. But the Mustangs again just kept hitting shots to take away any momentum Medford tried to build going into halftime and they hit the Raiders with a big run to start the second half and end any suspense that was left.

Fifth-seeded Medford finished the year at 13-11. Fourth-seeded Menomonie had its season end at 14-12 on Saturday when it was on the wrong end of a 68-35 blowout at one-seed Wausau East in the regional final. East plays six-seed New Richmond tonight, Thursday, in a sectional semifinal at Eau Claire North. The Tigers ended the season for two-seed and Great Northern Conference champion Rhinelander Monday in a regional final 62-55.

“They started hot,” Medford head coach Ryan Brown said after Friday’s defeat. “I thought we did a good job working our way back in it, getting some stops. We created a couple of turnovers, made a couple of shots and it seemed like we were settling in a little bit. But, really it was just a matter of them making some timely shots and then us having some untimely turnovers and letting them get on some big runs.”

In the first meeting, Menomonie shot an outstanding 61.5% from the field. Friday, the Mustangs were even better at 62.5%, making 20 of 33 shots from the field, including an unreal 10 of 15 from 3point range. Their strong 6-3 senior Brody Thornton hit two 3s and Brady Johnson returned from an injury to hit one in Menomonie’s game-opening 17-2 run.

Medford stabilized things briefly following a Charlie Gierl 3-pointer. Will Daniels hit one 3 and then pulled up after a steal and hit another to make 19-11.

But Thornton scored off a turnover and then Thornton, Johnson and Tyler Nelson hit consecutive 3s. Thornton’s steal and three-point play capped a 14-0 run that made it 33-11 to pretty much end any realistic hope of an upset. Isaac Ellison finished off a pick and roll with Thornton to make it 37-16 at the half.

“Obviously a big factor is rebounding and keeping them out of the paint where they score a lot of points,” Brown said. “We tried to do that, but then they hit a lot of outside shots. It’s kinda pick your poison when teams are hitting shots outside.”

Devin Dassow scored for Medford off a well-executed slip to start the second half, but Menomonie scored on six straight possessions, four following Medford turnovers, to go up 49-18.

“We said at halftime we don’t need to get it all back right away,” Brown said. “Get it down to 10 halfway through. Be solid and be ready to shoot and we came out and, I think, turned it over on four straight possessions and they scored on every one.”

Menomonie built its lead as high as 45 at 72-27 before Dassow scored Medford’s last four points and finished with a teamhigh 10 points. Daniels had nine on three 3-pointers. Gierl scored five points, Peyton Ried hit a 3-pointer and Nick Krause and Hayden Koester each added a basket.

Koester and Gierl both had four rebounds. Koester, Jason Woller and Ried had two assists each. Gierl had two steals.

Menomonie outrebounded Medford 2712. The Raiders had 19 turnovers while getting the Mustangs to give it up 13 times. Medford was 12 of 38 from the field (31.6%) and five of 21 from 3-point range.

The season came to a tough end with the two losses to Menomonie and a defeat to Rhinelander in the Great Northern Conference title game in Medford’s last four games, but the season was viewed as a success.

“We had an over .500 year, which we weren’t sure if we were going to be,” Brown said. “To be in the race in the conference again was big. Obviously it’s a disappointing end in these last two games. It wasn’t a lack of will or effort by the kids. We didn’t execute to the level you need to execute to beat good teams.

“Our seniors, especially Hayden and Chuck, they were great captains all year,” Brown added. “They did a good job in a lot of uncertain times as we went into the season, giving us some consistency and good leadership. That was big in us having some success this year.”

Krause and Daniels figure to be only returning seniors next year, but the Raiders do expect to add more young depth following what will be an important off-season for that group to get up varsity speed.

“Between the weight room, the gym, hopefully we all grow in a lot of ways, whether it’s speed, shooting,” Brown said. “It’s going to be a big summer. Our philosophy will be similar but our style will look very different. Hopefully we’ll create some chaos next year.”

Raider senior Charlie Gierl takes a bump from Menomonie’s DJ Butler as he tries to get into the lane during Friday’s WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal loss. MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS