Three wins in three days
Playing three straight days didn’t seem to bother Minneota as it outscored three opponents by 52 total points last week.
The Vikings (4-3) defeated Wabasso on Thursday, Renville County West on Friday and Canby on Saturday.
“We’re starting to figure some things out on offense,” said Minneota coach Chad Johnston, who is in his first year as the boys’ coach after 26 years as girls’ basketball coach. “It takes time learning a new system and we haven’t had very many practices yet. We’re basically learning on the fly.”
Sawyer DeSmet scored 11 points in the first half and finished with a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Vikings. Max Rost led all scorers with 18 points, 12 of those coming in the first half, to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Ryan Dalager hit 4 of 5 shots and finished with 11 points and four assists. Peyton Sheik chipped in seven points and six rebounds.
After starting the season 1-3, the Vikings moved above the .500 mark for the first time.
“Hopefully, this is building some confidence,” he said. “If we see some things in the game that we need to fix, we haven’t been able to work on them with limited practice. So, as I said, we’re learning on the fly and trying to fix some things by showing them on a board. But it’s just not the same as showing them in practice.”
The Lancers (2-9), who tried to take away the Vikings’ three-point shooting that saw them hit 17 in the two previous games, stayed with the Vikings throughout the first half and midway through the second half.
Minneota finished with just three treys, two from Dalager, in 11 attempts.
“When that happens, we want to dribble drive or get the ball inside,” said Johnston. “All I can ask is that they work hard and keep improving at this point of the season.”
Minneota gained its first double-digit lead when Lucas Rybinski came off the bench and drained a three-pointer for a 45-35 lead. That was part of a 7-0 with Sawyer DeSmet capping the run with a close-range bank shot for a 47-35 lead.
Canby closed to within 51-43 after treys from Kolton Duis and Trevor Gray, but would get no closer.
Although the Vikings are currently riding a three-game win streak, the team has not done well at the three-throw line, hitting just 27-of-53 (51 percent) shots over those three games. They cashed just 11 of 23 (48 percent) against Canby.
Zach Ourada had 14 points to lead the Lancers. Kolton Duis added 10 points, Trevor Gray nine and Evan Weber eight.
Minneota 58, Canby 48
Canby.....................................................................................22 26 - 48
Minneota................................................................................26 32 - 58
Team Statistics
Field-goal shooting (good-attempt-pct.): Canby 18-for-57, 32 percent; Minneota 22-for-56, 39 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Canby 6-for-29, 21 percent; Minneota 3-for-11, 27 percent ... Rebounds: Canby 28, Minneota 36
Canby Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Kolton Duis 10, Evan Engesmoe 2, Trevor Gray 9, Brady Hulzebos 0, Liam MacArthur 2, Zach Ourada 14, Michael Tol 3, Evan Weber 8 ... 3-pointers: Ourada 3, Duis 2, Gray 1 ... Rebound leaders: Ourada 7, Tol 6, Duis 6 ... Assist leaders: Weber 6, Duis 3 .... Steal leaders: not available
Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fg-att, ft-att, pts): Ryan Dalager 4-5 1-2 11, Max Rost 7-17 4-4 18, Sawyer DeSmet 7-11 2-6 16, Anthony Rybinski 0-10 1-4 1, Peyton Sheik 2-7 3-7 7, Lucas Rybinski 2-4 0-0 5, Tate Peterson 0-2 0-0 0, Lincoln Jerzak 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Dalager 2, L.Rybinski 1 ... Rebounds: DeSmet 14, Rost 6, Sheik 6, Dalager 3, A.Rybinski 3, Peterson 2, L.Rybinski 2 ... Assists: Dalager 4, Peterson 3, Rost 3, A.Rybinski 3, DeSmet 2, L.Rybinski 2, Sheik 2, Jerzak 1 .... Steals: A.Rybinski 2, Sheik 1
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Vikings hit 9 treys in win
Minneota 69, RCW 34
(Result Friday, Jan. 6)
Anthony Rybinski fired in five 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 17 points and eight rebounds, and Ryan Dalager hit four treys and finished with a double-double of 16 points and 15 points to lead the Vikings (3-3) to their second win in a row.
Max Rost added 15 points and five assists and Sawyer DeSmet had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Vikings.
Minneota sank a blistering 9 of 19 shots (47 percent) from beyond the arc n shot 42 percent overall in its best offensive showing of the season.
The Jaguars (0-8) briefly led 3-2 after a three-pointer by Ryan Schrupp before Minneota went on a 17-0 run to blow the game open. During that run, Dalager had eight points on a pair of treys and a putback. Anthony Rybinski hit a three-pointer, and DeSmet, Rost and Tate Peterson all netted a basket.
The Vikings rolled to a 38-18 halftime lead with Dalager scoring 14 of his 16 points, including a quartet of three-pointers.
Minneota came out in the second half on fire with a 25-3 run, sparkled by 10 points from Rost and three treys from Anthony Rybinski.
Peterson finished with six points, five rebounds and two steals for the Vikings. Peyton Sheik had four points, 10 rebounds and two steals.
For RCW, Isaac Haen had eight points, Jonathan Driggs seven, and Adam Schrupp and Ryan Schrupp six apiece.
MINNEOTA 69, RENVILLE COUNTY WEST 34
Renville County West................................................................18 16 - 34
Minneota...................................................................................38 31 - 69
Team Statistics
Field-goal shooting (good-attempt-pct.): RCW 10-for-53, 19 percent; Minneota 27-for-65, 42 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): RCW 4-for-21, 19 percent; Minneota 9-for-19, 47 percent ... Rebounds: RCW 22, Minneota 53
Renville County West Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Jonathan Driggs 7, Isaac Haen 8, Javin Mungai 2, Isaiah Schroeder 0, Adam Schrupp 6, Ryan Schrupp 6, Joe Valdovinos 2, Jeremy Walton 0, Jack Wertish 3 ... 3-pointers: Driggs 1, Haen 1, A.Schrupp 1, R.Schrupp1 ... Rebound leaders: R.Schrupp 6, Haen 4 ... Assist leaders: A.Schrupp 3, Haen 2 .... Steal leaders: not available
Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fg-att, ft-att, pts): Grant Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Ryan Dalager 6-9 0-2 16, Sawyer DeSmet 4-11 2-4 10, Lincoln Jerzak 0-1 0-0 0, Tate Peterson 3-7 0-0 6, Max Rost 6-14 3-5 15, Anthony Rybinski 6-11 0-0 17, Lucas Rybinski 0-3 1-2 1, Ben Schmidt 0-1 0-0 0, Peyton Sheik 2-8 0-0 4 ... 3-pointers: A.Rybinski 5, Dalager 4 ... Rebounds: Dalager 15, Sheik 10, A.Rybinski 8, DeSmet 7, Peterson 5, Rost 4, Anderson 2, Jerzak 1, L.Rybinski 1 ... Assists: Dalager 5, Rost 5, Peterson 3, A.Rybinski 3, L.Rybinski 2, Jerzak 1 .... Steals: Peterson 2, Sheik 2, Dalager 2, DeSmet 1, Rost 1, A.Rybinski 1
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Balanced scoring lifts Vikings
Minneota 68, Wabasso 61
(Result Thursday, Jan. 5)
Five players scored in double figures and the Vikings (2-3) drained eight 3-pointers to notch their second win of the season.
Max Rost scored 17 points, Anthony Rybinski had 12 points, Ryan Dalager and Sawyer DeSmet had 11 apiece, and Peyton Sheik added 10. Lucas Rybinski added seven points. Sheik also pulled down 11 rebounds for the only double-double of the game.
The Vikings connected on 8-of-21 three-pointers. Dalager had three, while Anthony Rybinski and Sheik had two each and Lucas Rybinski one.
Minneota scored a season-high 41 points in a half, notching that figure in the first half en route to building a 41-25 lead.
The Vikings outrebounded the Rabbits (2-5) 39-30 with Sheik’s 11 leading the way. Desmet grabbed nine boards, Rost had eight and Anthony Rybinski six.
Wabasso had four players reach double digits in scoring with Karson Bock leading the way with 17 points. Tristan Larson had 16 points, Noah Anderson 14 and Joseph Liebl 10.
MINNEOTA 68, WABASSO 61
Wabasso................................................................................26 35 - 61
Minneota................................................................................41 27 - 68
Team Statistics
Field-goal shooting (good-attempt-pct.): Wabasso 22-for-55, 40 percent; Minneota 25-for-69, 36 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Wabasso 7-for-21, 33 percent; Minneota 8-for-21, 38 percent ... Rebounds: Wabasso 30, Minneota 39
Wabasso Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Noah Anderson 14, Karson Bock 17, Calvin Hanna 2, Tristan Larson 16, Joseph Liebl 10, Ashton Rohlik 0, Christian Sanow 1, Zachary Timm 1 ... 3-pointers: Anderson 4, Bock 3 ... Rebound leaders: Larson 7, Sanow 6, Liebl 5 ... Assist leaders: Anderson 5, Liebl 5 .... Steal leaders: not available
Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fg-att, ft-att, pts): Ryan Dalager 4-8 0-0 11, Sawyer DeSmet 4-9 3-5 11, Lincoln Jerzak 0-2 0-0 0, Tate Peterson 0-1 0-0 0, Max Rost 7-18 3-5 17, Anthony Rybinski 3-10 4-6 12, Lucas Rybinski 3-7 0-0 7, Peyton Sheik 4-14 0-1 10 ... 3-pointers: Dalager 3, A.Rybinski 2, Sheik 2, L.Rybinski 1 ... Rebounds: Sheik 11, DeSmet 9, Rost 8, A.Rybinski 6, L.Rybinski 3, Dalager 1, Peterson 1 ... Assists: L.Rybinski 4, Sheik 4, Rost 3, A.Rybinski 3, Dalager 2, Desmet 2, Jerzak 2, Peterson 1 .... Steals: L.Rybinski 1