News
Briefly
Calendar of Events
Commentary
Opinions
Sports
Diversions
World News
Login
Letter Submission
Search
Archive
Publishing Policy
Classifieds
Mail Subscriptions
St. Cloud State University
College Publisher
Home
>
Sports
Forrest Witt branches out
By Andy Rennecke
Published:
Thursday, March 6, 2003
Media Credit: Matthew Kaster
Husky senior guard Forrest Witt plans on setting Halenbeck hoops on fire this Friday against NDSU.
One more time with feeling.
Forrest Witt knows all about that statement. The senior guard is preparing for his last postseason run with the SCSU men's basketball team after five years of being a part of Husky basketball. When they take the court Friday against North Dakota State University in the three-year-old Wells Fargo NCC tournament, it will mark the third straight time that Witt and the Huskies have been a part of it.
In a season where SCSU (23-4, 13-3 NCC) has accomplished so many feats, Witt has been one of the main catalysts to the team's run to the NCC title and No. 1 seed in this weekend's tourney. In fact, he's been a catalyst for a long time now.
For the second straight year the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Morris native has led the Huskies in scoring (15.9 points per game, 16.2 ppg last year) and from beyond the arc (64 three-pointers made so far this year, 74 in 2001-02). Witt also moved into second place on SCSU's all-time scoring list with 1,713 career points. In addition, he is fifth on the all-time list in games played as a Husky (117). All of these achievements are just an added bonus to a season that Witt has cherished.
"Just winning a conference championship is something to be proud of," Witt said after practice Wednesday. "We still have another goal in mind that we want to take care of."
To all of you who didn't get the hidden meaning there, he's talking about winning a national championship. That's something that SCSU has never accomplished, but Witt feels like this team has a shot.
"I think we have the team and the guys in the right places to do that and make a serious run at the national championship," he said. "I don't know if a lot of teams can actually say that they have a really good shot at doing that. I think we do."
Lately Witt has been struggling to find his three-point shot, something that has made him one of the deadliest eyes from downtown in all of Division II. The all-time leader in three's made at SCSU has only connected on one trey in the past four games. That's something that will have to improve come Friday and Witt knows that better than anyone.
"There's been points in the season where I haven't shot that well and lately I haven't either," Witt admitted. "You just have to keep going and take some shots after practice or whatever it takes. I won't lose confidence in my shot. Maybe I'll take it to the basket more if it isn't falling, but I'm still confident.
"I know I'll have to step up my scoring in the postseason."
Witt will want to get back to the form that made him so successful late in this season's nonconference schedule and early in the NCC season. He scored a season-high 31 points at Southwest State University on Dec.11 in a 83-58 Husky win and went off for 30 against the University of North Dakota on Jan. 16 in an 81-76 triumph.
SCSU head coach Kevin Schlagel knows how important Witt is to his offense. He continually encourages his team's scoring leader to shoot, no matter how much he's struggling.
After the Northern Colorado game two weeks ago when Witt moved into second on the scoring charts, Schlagel echoed that notion.
"He is one of the most unselfish players I've ever been around," he said. "We've encouraged him for five years to shoot the ball more. For him to move into second on that list, he's bypassed some awfully great players. He's certainly one of the best we've ever had."
The southpaw with the deft outside touch always has maintained a low profile on the court. His cool demeanor was finally cracked though last Thursday after the Huskies' 79-77 NCC-clinching win against NDSU in Fargo. After he stole an errant CoCo Cofield pass to seal the victory, Witt heaved the ball into the air as the rest of his teammates mobbed center court. The tension-filled game turned into a giant celebration, something that Witt was at the forefront of.
Even if there isn't a huge extravaganza after this weekend, Witt just wants the 2002-03 Huskies to be remembered fondly.
"Hopefully people will remember how hard we worked and how well we played together," Witt said. "One thing that we do so well is play together as a team. We don't have a guy that goes out and scores 25 a night. We're just a good unit. All 15 guys come to play everyday in practice, and whoever gets the opportunity in a game, gives it 100 percent."
Ready or not, here comes Forrest Witt. One more time.
Around the Rim
-The Huskies moved up one spot in the NABC/Division II National Bulletin poll this week at No. 22. SCSU maintained their No. 2 ranking in the North Central Region poll behind Nebraska-Kearney (26-1).
-Senior forward Jason Kron was named NCC Player of the Week along with UND's Jerome Beasley.
-UNO, SDSU and NDSU moved onto the Wells Fargo semifinals along with the Huskies. The Mavs upset UND 81-73, the Jacks pounced on MSU, Mankato 79-65 and the Bison rolled to a 67-59 win over South Dakota. UNO and SDSU will play the first game of the tourney doubleheader Friday at Halenbeck Hall at 6 p.m. SCSU and NDSU follow at 8 p.m.
Privacy Policy
Network Advertising
Article Syndication
