MEDFORD BOYS BASKETBALL - Both offenses click in 105-80 shootout loss

MEDFORD BOYS BASKETBALL

The offensive numbers Thursday were just what the Medford Raiders wanted –– solid 43% shooting from the field with 14 made 3-pointers in 33 attempts (42.4%), just eight turnovers, 10 of 12 on free throws, 1.12 points per possession, a career-high 39 points from Tanner Hraby and 80 points overall.

To still lose by 25 shows how incredible New Richmond was offensively in its 105-80 non-conference win at Raider Hall.

The Tigers put 60 points on the scoreboard in the first half alone, led by their 14-of-22 marksmanship from 3-point range. They finished 19 of 36 from long range (52.8%) and then, when Medford adjusted on the perimeter, they feasted inside in the second half to put the game away.

Reis Hidde, a 6-1 senior guard, hit 11 of New Richmond’s 3s, including eight in the first half, to finish with 35 points. Junior guard Connor Raleigh was about as good, hitting six of seven 3-pointers while scoring 24 points and 6-4 junior Jack Charbonneau had the majority of New Richmond’s 38 points in the paint, scoring 23 as the Tigers improved to 6-2.

“Offensively, I think we’re feeling better and better about what we can do,” Medford head coach Ryan Brown said after the Raiders fell to 1-6. “Defensively we knew they were going to be really big inside. We knew about the shooters they have. We did. They’re good shooters, but you don’t expect them to make 20 (3-pointers). Our goal was to really be ready to double on the post because they’re so big and they’re so strong, then really try to contest outside and then do our best to box out. It just proved to be hard to do. If they had an inch, they made the 3.”

Hraby did his best to match what Hidde and Raleigh did in the first half. That’s where he scored 25 of his points on an array of quick-release 3s and pull-up shots.

“He’s grown into his role,” Brown said of Hraby, who will soon hit the 1,000-point mark for his career. “He’s picked his spots where he lets us run our offense and then he’s picked his spots where he just tries to help us by taking over when we need it. I think he’s so smart in our offense. He’s found so many different ways to score, if it’s off a set play, if it’s off a curl, if it’s off a back cut, off of a flare or whatever. They were doing everything they could to stop him from getting the ball and he still scored.”

Scoring for both teams came easily in the first half. Hraby scored 13 straight points for Medford, helping stake the Raiders to a 15-11 lead. Hidde and Raleigh hit back-to-back 3s, then Hraby answered with one to put Medford up 18-17. Hidde and Medford’s Conner Klingbeil traded 3s to give Medford its last lead at 21-20. Raleigh’s consecutive 3s put the Tigers up five and they eventually went up 32-23 with not even nine minutes gone by. Four free throws by Hraby and his pull-up 3 made it 37-34, but Hidde buried another 3, Raleigh hit one and then, seemingly taking a heat check, Hidde banked in yet another 3 straight on from 25 feet out to put New Richmond ahead 46-35 with 5:59 left in the half. The lead got as high as 16 before the Tigers settled for a 60-44 halftime lead.

The Tigers cooled off from outside in the second half and Medford stayed within striking distance for about the first 12 minutes of the half. Owen Stockwell, Nick Steliga and Hraby made 3s to cut the deficit to 68-60 with more than 13 minutes left. Triples by Hraby and Brayden Balciar and then a perfect cut by Steliga gave him a basket off a Hayden Koester assist to make it 83-74.

A defensive stop gave the Raiders a chance to get even closer, but Hraby’s jumper came up short, a cutting Nick Stellrecht scored off a George Schneider assist and the Tigers started the finishing run. Hidde hit two more 3s, Charbonneau answered a Balciar 3 with two nice post moves, a tip-in that resulted in a three-point play and then another score on the block. Just like that, it was 100-77.

“Even great shooters, if you don’t contest they miss some of those,” Brown said. “And I thought we were contesting. Even when we were a little late, we were contesting. We were kind of picking our poison one way and then we were picking our poison the other way and they are good enough both ways.”

Hraby made 13 of 26 shots from the field. Steliga scored a season-high 11 points, finding his stroke by knocking down all three of his 3-point tries and Balciar had a nice night with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. Steliga had four assists.

“We just told Nick to stay confident, keep shooting the basketball,” Brown said. “We know he’s a good shooter. He’s one of our best shooters in practice. Hopefully he just continues to grow into that role the more varsity basketball he plays and the shots get more comfortable. In general, just the last three games now, I think we’ve shot the ball from the outside much better. Tonight we scored plenty of points. The other team just scored plenty more.”

Klingbeil had seven points, four rebounds and two assists, Stockwell scored six points and had seven rebounds. Koester added four points, four rebounds and two assists. Logan Gubser had a bucket and two assists. Will Daniels made a late free throw and Carson Carbaugh had two assists.

New Richmond had a decisive 44-27 advantage in rebounding, but Brown was happy with Medford’s attempts to box out the bigger Tigers.

The Raiders are at Wisconsin Dells this week, facing the host Chiefs on Wednesday and Ripon on Thursday. They’ll head to Northland Pines to resume Great Northern Conference play on Jan. 5.

“I think we’re going in the right direction,” Brown said. “It’s hard to say that after tonight. But I think we’re playing more physical, I think we’re being tougher. Their pressure, earlier in the year, I think would’ve got to us. We didn’t turn the ball over too much, especially not by the number of possessions we played. It’s hard to be 1-6, but yet I know once it comes to Christmas break and after, we have a lot of games where if we play good basketball we can win.”