Pivotal weekend in store for men’s hoops

Jason Kron

The word “balance” means to keep things steady and stable and to have the ability to maintain your poise under pressure. In basketball terms, balance means you have a deep bench and a variety of players contribute to your success as a team.

Well, two well-balanced teams will match up Saturday at Halenbeck Hall as No. 14 South Dakota State will take on No. 16 SCSU in the biggest matchup of the NCC men’s basketball season thus far.

SDSU (16-3, 10-1 NCC), along with SCSU, has the most depth in the NCC. SDSU leads the league in so many categories it almost makes your head spin. The Jackrabbits lead the conference in scoring offense, field goal percentage, offensive and defensive rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage defense. All of this is expected when your in first place, but SCSU head coach Kevin Schlagel said it goes beyond stats.

“They are the deepest, most physical team I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Schlagel said. “Their front line is huge, and they are able to bang down low with anybody. Their offense is balanced and they have quality players at each position. Any one of them is capable of scoring 25 points a night. They are also very aggressive defensively. If you miss a shot, they’re going the other way in a heartbeat.”

SDSU is led by, as Schlagel said, a well-balanced attack. The Jackrabbits’ leading scorers are so close in points per game, you really can’t single out one player as the most elite. Junior guard Austin Hansen leads the Jacks at 14.5 ppg. Freshmen center Matt Jones has been a pleasant surprise adding 13.8 ppg and a team leading 8.7 boards a game.

Jones has replaced junior center Josh Cerveny very adequately. Cerveny has been beset by injuries all year. Previously, he missed eight games due to a broken hand. He suffered a sprained ankle in Saturday’s win over Morningside and is now doubtful for SDSU’s weekend twin bill.

The Jacks did start out the year slowly however at 1-2. After that slow start, they pulled themselves together and won 13 straight games, before losing to Northern Colorado Jan. 19. This is in stark contrast to SCSU’s season.

The Huskies (15-3, 7-3 NCC) started off fast with an 11-0 record and have just recently suffered a few setbacks with losses to Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota. Now they face their biggest challenge of the season in taking on a team that is similar to them in just about every facet.

“Both teams have been built so similar,” Schlagel said. “We’re both good defensive teams and both have been consistent in terms of winning. But, if we’re going to be successful against them, we have to have a well-balanced attack too. One player stepping up isn’t going to make a difference against SDSU.”

Schlagel said that Forrest Witt and struggling scorer Rado Rancik are vital to the team’s success against the Jacks. Rancik is averaging 10.1 ppg, but hasn’t found his game yet since returning from a foot injury in late December. His 24 points against UND were a sign, but more is needed out of him, especially this weekend.

Another intricate part to the team’s success has been the unheralded Jason Kron. Kron, a junior forward, was named NCC Co-Player of the Week. His season-high 21 points against Minnesota State on Saturday helped win him the honor. His hard work and defensive ability will again be relied this Saturday.

“Jason has to be our defensive stopper,” Schlagel said. “Without him playing the type of defense he has, we wouldn’t be in the position we’re in so far.”

Something forgotten in all of the SDSU hoopla has been Friday’s game against Augustana. The Huskies trounced the Vikings earlier this year, 84-69 in Sioux Falls. The Vikings (11-8, 4-7 NCC) swept last weekend’s games against South Dakota and Morningside. The victories ended a four-game losing streak for the Vikes.

Augustana is lead in scoring by senior forward Sean Hilgenberg at 16.6 ppg. He also leads the Vikings in rebounding with 6.7 rpg. Sophomore guard Jon Wagner has chipped in 15.9 ppg and leads the team with 94 assists.

“Augustana is very up-tempo and explosive,” Schlagel said. “They are extremely effective from the three-point line, so we have to step out there defensively and keep them in check.”

Not to overlook Friday’s game or anything, but everybody’s attention will be focused on Saturday. SCSU wants to avenge their first loss of the season that they suffered Jan. 4 in Brookings. The 79-56 drubbing still sits in the Huskies’ minds.

Only two-and-a-half games back from SDSU for first place, SCSU not only has revenge in store, but their sights set on the top of the NCC.

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Andy Rennecke can be reached at: [email protected]

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