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WBY Tourney at Prairie du Chien: Marshall defeats McDonell Central in championship game

06/30/2015, 12:15pm CDT
By Mark Miller

Adam Link

Observations from the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Summer Tournament held in Prairie du Chien June 27-28:

Pools A-D

Final Standings

Pool A: Marathon 3-0, Aquinas 2-1, Seneca 1-2, Decorah, Iowa 0-3.

Pool B: Marshall 3-0, La Crosse Logan 2-1, Prairie du Chien I 1-2, Baldwin-Woodville 0-3.

Pool C: McDonell Central 2-1, Cuba City 2-1, Black River Falls 2-1, Prairie du Cien II 0-3.

Pool D: Southwestern 2-1, Richland Center 2-1, De Soto 2-1, North Crawford 0-3.

Pool A vs. Pool B Championship Game: Marshall 62, Marathon 60.

Pool A vs. Pool B Second-Place Game: Aquinas 61, La Crosse Logan 59.

Pool A vs. Pool B Third-Place Game: Seneca 52, Prairie du Chien I 31.

Pool A vs. Pool B Fourth-Place Game: Decorah 38, Baldwin-Woodville 27.

Pool C vs. Pool D Championship Game: McDonell Central 57, Southwestern 48.

Pool C vs. Pool D Second-Place Game: Cuba City 51, Richland Center 39.

Pool C vs. Pool D Third-Place Game: Black River Falls 59, De Soto 33.

Pool C vs. Pool D Fourth-Place Game: Prairie du Chien II 49, North Crawford 41.

Pools A/B Winner vs. Pools C/D Winner: Marshall 64, McDonell Central 53.

Most Valuable Player

Adam Link, 6-3, Sr., PG, Marshall
A left-handed lead guard with outstanding court vision and the ability to get between defenders on drives to the basket, Link is a returning first-team all-league player in the Southern Division of the Capitol Conference. A three-year varsity performer for coach Jason McConnell, Link has never experienced a conference loss as he heads into his senior campaign 30-0 in league play. Link has very good size, excellent ball-handling ability and the unselfish nature required to maximize the strengths of his teammates. He can also score, from the foul line, from beyond the arc and from mid-range. He averaged 18.4 points per game in the Cardinals' five victories at Prairie du Chien and handled the ball against solid pressure defense in tight victories over La Crosse Logan, Marathon and McDonell Central. Michigan Tech, Oshkosh and St. Norbert are showing early interest in Link.

All-Tournament Team (In alphabetical order)

Chris Ancius, 6-4, Sr., WG, Aquinas

After missing the Blugolds' two games on Saturday, Ancius came prepared to play on Sunday, scoring 30 points in a 61-59 victory over La Crosse Logan and 20 in a close triumph over Seneca. He made nine three-point baskets in the two games and also showed the ability to make pull-up jump shots from 15- to 18-feet. Ancius averaged 8.8 ppg as a junior for coach Sam Servais and is poised for a huge senior season for the Blugolds.

Ethan Anderson, 6-1, Soph., WG, Black River Falls
A very skilled wing player who can make shots from well beyond the three-point arc or put the ball on the floor and drill mid-range pull-up jump shots, Anderson played at a high level in Prairie du Chien, scoring in double figures each time out. He averaged 8.2 ppg on the varsity squad as a freshman and made 12 triples in four games over the weekend.

Kilian Boland, 6-1, Sr., G, Seneca
One of the more complete and underrated players in Wisconsin, Boland won't wow you with his athleticism or physical stature, but he will wow you with his overall play. He is an unselfish player with very good skills and a good feel for the game. He can play either guard position and score at a very high level when its needed. He finished with 26 points and six triples in a 41-38 loss to Marathon, 16 points and four triples in a 52-31 win over Prairie du Chien I, 14 points and four triples in a 42-37 win over Decorah and 22 points and six triples in a 61-56 loss to Aquinas.

Ben Burkholder, 6-4, Sr., F, Cuba City
A steady, if not spectacular, forward who can score in a variety of ways and gives maximum effort each time out, Burkholder averaged 8.1 ppg for coach Jerry Petitgoue as a junior and appears ready to be the leader for another talented squad at Cuba City. He scored at a high level in Prairie du Chien, both from the foul line, off of drives to the basket and from beyond the arc.

Eddie Harwick, 5-10, Jr., PG, Aquinas
Harwick is a tireless worker on both ends of the court and is the leader for an Aquinas squad capable of contending with La Crosse Central, La Crosse Logan and Onalaska in the Mississippi Valley Conference next season. Harwick has deep shooting range, a quick trigger and impressive quickness in the open court. He averaged 20.3 ppg in Prairie du Chien and made 13 shots from beyond the arc.

David Iwowari, 6-6, Sr., WF, Cuba City
Though Iwowari is not yet enrolled at Cuba City, the Nigerian native is planning to transfer to the Division 4 school after attending Iowa powerhouse Dubuque Wahlert the past two seasons. Though not a done deal at this point, should Iwowari gain eligibility from the WIAA, he will give the Cubans an exceptionally athletic forward who can block shots, rebound and score, both off of offensive rebounds and from the perimeter. He is still a bit raw in terms of his overall free for the game, but that's primarily due to the fact he has been playing basketball for just three years. Iwowari has a big upside as he continues to improve his skill development and decision making.

Chase Johnson, 6-5, Sr., WF, La Crosse Logan
Johnson possesses very good size, strength and skill for a wing prospect. He can make shots beyond the three-point line while also using his size and power to score in the lane. He tends to drift to the perimeter quite a bit and could probably be even more effective with more time spent on the blocks, thanks to his large frame. 

Noah Johnson, 6-2, Jr., G, Richland Center
Versatile backcourt player who can score off the dribble and from deep, Johnson isn't overly quick, but he is steady with the ball and tends to get defenders on his hip. He can score in a variety of ways and figures to be a 'go-to' player for the Hornets next season.

Ryan Lagerman, 6-4, Jr., F, De Soto
A physical forward who can was effective at the wide post and attacking the basket off the dribble, Lagerman had 17 points in a victory over North Crawford and earned repeated trips to the foul line. His physical presence in the lane is a definite asset for De Soto on both ends of the court.

Xavier Lechleitner, 6-1, Sr., G, Marathon
The heart and soul of another very good Marathon squad, Lechleitner did whatever the Red Raiders needed him to do in order to win games. He scored when he needed to, defended at a high level and also rebounded well for coach Adam Jacobson. A versatile player with very good physical strength and mental toughness, Lechleitner's presence in the lineup makes Marathon the favorite to win the competitive Southern Division of the Marawood Conference.

Brandon Neuberger, 6-2, Sr., WG, Marshall
An extremely athletic and physically strong wing player with a nice shooting touch and the ability to zip by defenders to the basket and finish drives through contact, Neuberger missed last season with a broken leg. But he is back playing now at a very high level for the Cardinals. He finished with 25 points in the championship-game victory over McDonell Central.

Alex Ohde, 6-7, Jr., F, McDonell Central
Long, mobile forward who can block and alter shots, rebound and score, Ohde averaged 15.6 ppg and close to 10.0 rpg for the Macks in Praririe du Chien. He can play at the high or low post, make shots facing the basket, and possesses a nice back-to-the-basket game. As he gains strength and weight, Ohde figures to blossom into a very good collegiate prospect over the next 12 months.

Ben Retzlaff, 6-2, Sr., WG, McDonell Central
One of the better long-distance shooters in Wisconsin, Retzlaff is a vocal leader for a young and talented team at McDonell Central. He averaged 19.6 ppg in the five games the Macks played and drilled a total of 21 three-point shots in those contests. He has a quick release and can also put the ball on the ground and get to the basket. He is hearing from Clarke, Hillsdale, among others.

Jack Roou, 6-0, Sr., PG, Black River Falls
Physically strong point guard who competes with a great deal of confidence, Roou can score, rebound, pass and defend. He made 14 shots from beyond the arc in four games and scored in double figures each time out for coach Mike Gaier. A good vocal leader who competes with high energy, Roou is receiving recruiting interest from Army and will compete with the Wisconsin Playmakers J 17U squad in July.

Ezra Vaassen, 6-0, Sr., G, Southwestern
A scoring backcourt performer who averaged 16.8 ppg as a junior for coach Clinton Nemitz, Vaassen hit eight triples in four games and scored in double figures three times for Southwestern in Prairie du Chien.

Hunter Wilson, 6-6, Jr., PF, Richland Center
Powerful post player who competes with desire, Wilson scored in double figures in three games for the Hornets and averaged 12.0 ppg. He gives Richland Center a true post presence and can finish through contact thanks to his size and strength. 

Team Champion
 
Marshall

The Cardinals certainly received some difficult tests in Prairie du Chien, and they passed each with flying colors. Marshall rallied to overtake La Crosse Logan in pool play, won a nip-and-tuck game with Marathon in the Pools A-B title game and then survived several runs by McDonell Central to capture the overall title in the 16-team event. Link and Neuberger were outstanding in each and every game for Marshall, which again played without 6-foot-5 senior Andy Lutz and 6-5 junior Adam Wehking, who are both out with injuries. Senior guard Tristan Killerlain (6-0) was also solid for the Cardinals, scoring 12 points and knocking down two triples against McDonell Central. With Link, Neuberger, Killerlain, Lutz and Wehking in the lineup, McConnell has a tremendous starting lineup. Depth also figures to be a strength, led by senior Jordan Gomez (6-0). Marshall could very well open the 2015-16 season as the preseason No. 1 team in Wisconsin among Division 3 schools.

Notes
With Fall Creek and Regis sustaining heavy graduation losses, McDonell Central could emerge as the team to beat in the Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference. Coach Archie Sherbinow has some size, skill and athleticism in his program with the return of Retzlaff, Ohde, junior Grayson Knowlton (6-6) and sophomore Hayden Baughman (6-5). Once the Macks all find their roles and play to their strengths, McDonell Central could develop into one of the state's top Division 5 teams next winter ... Opponents have concentrated on slowing down Roou at Black River Falls the past three seasons, but this time around the Tigers have other players on their roster who can make opponents pay for spending too much time on Roou. Anderson is a terrific player and shooter while senior forward Nate Parker (6-5) gives the Tigers some bulk and size in the paint ... In addition to Ancius and Harwick, Aquinas got solid play all weekend from sophomore Conley Malone (5-11), who averaged 15.9 ppg and drilled 13 shots from beyond the arc. He also rebounded at a high level for a backcourt player and competed with poise and confidence ... Marathon played without senior Preston Wirkus (6-3), who is out with an injury, but got solid performances from seniors Ryan Gassner (6-1) and Karter Underwood (5-10) in going 3-1. Look for sophomore Donovan Free (6-2) to also make a big impact for the Red Raiders next season ... Seneca coach Dave Boland has one of the top Division 5 teams in the state on his hands with the return of his son, Kilian, along with super athletic junior Nick Payne (6-5) and steady senior wing Brady Fernette (6-0). Payne is very active around the basket while Fernette is a solid shooter from deep and from 15 feet ... La Crosse Logan played very well at times in Prairie du Chien and will definitely be a factor in the Mississippi Valley Conference. In addition to Johnson, junior Trey Davis (6-4) and sophomore point guard CJ Siegel (5-10) played very good showings for the Rangers. Davis is a tough matchup because of his size, strength and ability to get to the basket while Siegel is very good in the open court and can finish with his quickness. Junior Cody Hoeth (6-1) also had a very good weekend for coach Andy Fernholz and the Rangers ... Prairie du Chien is still without junior Nathan Banasik (6-5), who continues to heal from ACL surgery. He is expected back next month, which will give the Blackhawks some versatility and size in their lineup. Senior point guard Connor George (5-11), senior Casey Hogenson (6-1) and junior wing Chas Sagedahl (6-2), a strong left-handed wing player, played well for coach Andy Banasik over the weekend and form a solid nucleus along with Nathan Banasik ... Decorah, Iowa, coach Jon Carlson is looking for newcomers to step up after losing a boatload of talent to graduation. Payton Stock, Nick Brockman and London Rockweiler had strong showings for Decorah over the weekend ... Cuba City and Darlington appear to be the teams to beat in the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League. The Cubans played in Prairie du Chien without senior sharpshooter Chris Moor (5-11), but Petitgoue did get solid showings from seniors Justin Droessler (6-2) and Brady Vaassen (6-3) in addition to Burkholder and Iwowari ... De Soto could be one of the more improved teams in the Ridge & Valley Conference as the Pirates feature a balanced lineup with several players who can score. In addition to Lagerman, senior guard Conner Clements (6-1) had a solid weekend for De Soto ... Richland Center did not win a game last season, but that has not stopped coach Brandon Ewing and the Hornets from working hard to get better this summer. The Hornets will be improved next winter, thanks in large part to the return of Johnson and Wilson. But sophomore Devon Schmitz (5-11), who is out with an injury, and senior Evan Stanek (6-3) also figure to play key roles ... Brady Allbaugh (5-11) scored at a high level for North Crawford, which lost all four of its games ... Kurt Tranel (6-3) and Kyle Tranel (6-2) provide Southwestern with a solid inside tandem to go with the perimeter games of Vaassen and Garrett Jochum (5-10).

Tag(s): Summer Tournaments