By Tad Dorsey

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GPAC Standings

• #1 Morningside defeated Jamestown 111-85 in their only game of the week.  After withstanding an early challenge from the Jimmies, the Mustangs went off after halftime.  After being down 7 early, the Mustangs ended the half on a 22-6 run to go up 45-36 at halftime.  The fun was just beginning for Morningside as they posted an unbelievable 66 points in the 2^nd half.  As you can imagine looking at the score this was a very good shooting performance.  Morningside shot 63.5% from the field and 53.3% from 3. Zach Imig led the Mustangs going 11 for 13 with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists.  Matt Hahn was also effectively, going 9-18 (8-16 from 3) with 28 points. Morningside improves to 25-2 and 17-2 in the GPAC. They have wrapped up the 1 seed in the tournament.  They wrap up the regular season at Northwestern on Saturday.  
• #10 Dakota Wesleyan had a bit of a hiccup this week.  They fell 72-61 at #18 Mount Marty, suffering a season sweep to the Lancers.  It was a contested battle early on. Ty Hoglund hit a 3 to put the Tigers up 12-11, but Mount Marty soon countered with a 7-0 run to go up 18-14.  Koln Oppold hit a late jump shot to put DWU up 33-31, before a 3 by the Lancers gave them a 34-33 halftime lead. DWU struggled early in the 2^nd half, as the Lancers built up an 8-point lead.  The Tigers could never overcome the deficit. Ty Hoglund posted 23 points on 9-19 shooting while adding 6 rebounds.  Samuel McCloud went 4-5, all threes, with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. DWU survived an early challenge from the Doane Tigers, winning 79-64 in Crete.  Doane used a 12-0 run to go up 12-6 early on. The rest of the half was very contested. DWU saw themselves down 36-33 entering halftime. The Tigers of DWU started the 2^nd half on a 15-5 run to go up 48-41 with around 15 minutes left.   DWU lead the rest of the way. Mason Larson led the Tigers with 19 points on 8-13 shooting while adding 4 blocks.  Samuel McCloud was 6-12, all 3s with 18 points. Hoglund also contributed 18. The Tigers fall to 20-7 and 12-6 in the GPAC.  They are now tied for 2^nd with Northwestern, a half game up on RV Dordt.  The Tigers host the Raiders on Wednesday in the battle for 2^nd place before closing out the season at Hastings on Saturday. 
• Northwestern moved into a 2^nd place tie with a pair of 3-point victories this week.  In doing so they also secured the host bid for the NAIA Division II National Tournament as they will finish the season above .600 on the season.  The Raiders opened their week with an impressive 101-98 victory at Jamestown. This was a tightly contested battle. The Raiders had a 6 point lead early in the 2^nd half, before Jamestown went on a 14-4 run to go up 41-37.  Northwestern was down 46-41 just before halftime, when Jay Small drained a half court shot to cut the halftime lead to 46-44.  The lead changed hands 7 times in the 2^nd half.  With 4 minutes to go in the game, Jamestown was up 87-85.  Northwestern took the lead for good on a three from Craig Sterk, igniting a 7-0 run.  Jay Small closed the game with another deep three and four free throws. Jay Small led the Raiders with 25 points on 7-12 shooting (5-8 three).  Craig Sterk added 24 points and 6 rebounds. The Raiders followed that up with a tight 76-73 victory over Midland, their 5^th victory in a row.  Northwestern dominated early on, using a 20-11 run and a 6-0 run to go up 36-22 with five minutes before halftime.  The run was led by Grant Rohrer and Trent Hilbrands. Northwestern failed to make a basket in the last five minutes of the half, seeing their lead dwindle to 38-31 at halftime.  Midland further tightened the game, cutting the score to 43-41 early in the 2^nd half.  An 11-3 run by Northwestern, featuring 9 points from Rohrer, saw the Raiders up 54-44.  Midland continued to rally, and even drew even at 72-72 with 2:22 left. A late turnaround jumper by Craig Sterk put the Raiders up for good, as Midland missed their last 4 shots.   Sterk was 9-19 with 22 points and 6 rebounds. Grant Rohrer was 8-9 with 18 points and 3 rebounds. Jay Small added 8 points and a career high 19 rebounds. The Raiders improve to 20-8 and 12-6 in the GPAC.  They join #10 DWU in a second-place tie. The Raiders are at #10 Dakota Wesleyan on Wednesday before finishing their season at home against #1 Morningside. 

• RV Dordt opened the week with a very solid 92-86 victory at Briar Cliff.  The Defenders did their heavy lifting in the first half, leading 45-31 at halftime.  Garrett Franken posted 21 points in the first half. Dordt was up 50-35 early in the half, when the met some adversity.  The Chargers went on a 23-8 run to tie it at 58 with 10:36 left. The Chargers continued the momentum, leading 68-62 with 8:31 left.  The Defenders answered with a basket by Garrett Franken, two free throws by Franken, and a go ahead three-point play by Marcus Winterfeld to go up 69-68 with 7:19 left.   The Defenders again found themselves down 82-79 with 2:02 left. Chandler Brunsting drained a 3 to tie the game. He hit another three on the next possession giving the Defenders an 85-84 lead.  After again ceding the lead, Garrett Franken hit a pair of free throws with 37 seconds left to put Dordt up 87-86, a lead they would close out at the line. Garrett Franken was the leader for Dordt, as he went 11-21 with 30 points and 8 rebounds.  Marcus Winterfeld added 16 points on the bench, going 4-8 and 7-7 from the line. The Defenders ended their week with a strong 89-66 win over Hastings. Dordt got out fast again, and never were behind in the first half. They were up 35-24 with 5:20 in the half.  Hastings chipped away at the lead before halftime, cutting the Defender lead to 43-40 at halftime. The Defenders extended the lead after halftime, going up 52-45 on a 3 by Jesse Jansma with 18:21 left. Dordt finished the game on a 31-10 run to cruise to a victory.  Jansma finished going 10-14 (4-5 three) with 28 points. Garrett Franken was 5-10 (4-4 from three) with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Zach Bussard was 7-10 with 15 points and 8 rebounds. The Defenders improve to 21-8 and 12-7 in the GPAC. They are in 4^th place, a half-game behind #10 Dakota Wesleyan and Northwestern, a game and a half up on RV Concordia and #18 Mount Marty.  They close out their season at #18 Mount Marty on Wednesday.  
• RV Concordia got back in the win column, knocking off Hastings 83-77.  This win guarantees Concordia entry into the GPAC tournament.  The Bulldogs won a very closely contested match up with balanced scoring.  All five CUNE starters managed double digit scoring nights. The two biggest plays for the Bulldogs were late offensive rebounds resulting in a pair of threes, one each by Brevin Sloup and Carter Kent, to break a 73-73 tie.  Sloup went 8-14 (5-8 3, 4-4 at the line) with 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Justin Wiersema was 6-12 with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Chuol Biel posted a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks.  Concordia closed their home schedule with a dominant upset over #18^th ranked Mount Marty, as the Bulldogs came out with a 98-74 victory.  The biggest stat was the rebounding differential, won by the Bulldogs 51-23.  The Bulldogs lead by at least 13 points for the entire second half. Brevin Sloup lead a 14-3 run with 7 points, improving the Bulldog lead to 86-62 with 5 minutes to go.  Sloup finished going 8-13 (5-10 from 3) with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Justin Wiersema went 7-8 with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Bulldogs improve to 19-9 and 10-8 in the GPAC.  They are tied for 5^th place with #18 Mount Marty, a game and a half behind RV Dordt, a game up on Jamestown.  The Bulldogs finish their season with a two game road trip, at Midland on Wednesday and at Jamestown on Saturday.  

• #18 Mount Marty started their week with an impressive 72-61 victory over #10 Dakota Wesleyan.  This finished off the Lancers’ first season sweep over DWU since the 2004-2005 season.  The first half was contentious throughout. Neither team could get an extended lead. The Lancers ended the half with a three-point basket by Colby Johnson to go up 34-33 at halftime.   Mount Marty was the better team in the 2^nd half, building up a 58-51 lead with 6:10 left, and closing out for the win.  Colby Johnson scored 21 points on 8-14 shooting. Ryan Warren added 17 points and 7 steals.  Jailen Billings was 4-7 from 3 with 12 points off the bench. The Lancers could not keep the momentum on their side, falling at RV Concordia 98-74.  The Lancers could not hang with the Bulldogs’ exceptional shooting in this one. Chris King, Jordan Johnson, and Colby Johnson all scored 15 points to lead the Lancers.  Mount Marty goes to 19-9 and 10-8 in the GPAC. They are tied for 5^th with RV Concordia.  Mount Marty closes out their home season hosting RV Dordt on Wednesday, before finishing the regular season at Midland.  
• Jamestown suffered a tough luck loss against Northwestern, falling 101-98 at home.  The first half was a back and forth affair, with the Jimmies leading 46-44 at halftime.  Northwestern scored the first five of the 2^nd half, and lead until Isaiah Dobson drained a basket to tie the game at 63 with 12:21 left.  Threes by Jack Talley and Terrell Alfred had Jamestown up 69-65 with 11:08 left. There were 10 lead changes and four ties in just the last 10:28 of the game.  The final lead change was a three by Northwestern, putting them up 88-87. Jamestown tried to stay in the game late, as Dobson hit threes in 3 consecutive possessions, keeping the lead at 99-98 NWC with 8 seconds left.  Dobson finished 11-19 (6-10 from 3) with 28 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Terrell Alfred was 8-12 (4-7 from 3) with 22 points. Jamestown ran into an offensive masterpiece by top ranked Morningside, falling 111-85 in Sioux City.  Jamestown withstood an early Morningside lead, as the Jimmies went up 20-17 on a three from Devan Praska. Another three by Jack Talley had Jamestown up 30-23. Morningside would close out the half well, leading 45-36 at halftime. The Mustangs jumped on the Jimmies after halftime, using a 17-7 run to go up 19.  Jamestown could not battle back in the 2^nd half.  Mason Walters had a very good game off the bench.  He went 9-11 with 21 points and 5 rebounds. Isaiah Dobson finished with 17 points and 5 assists.  Jamestown falls to 18-10, 9-9 in the GPAC. They are alone in 7^th place, a game back of RV Concordia and #18 Mount Marty.  They can’t finish worse than 7^th.  Jamestown is at Briar Cliff on Wednesday before hosting RV Concordia to close out their season.  
• Hastings has continued a late season slide, as they’ve lost 5 games in a row.  They opened the week falling 83-77 at RV Concordia. The Broncos attempted to come back from an early 16-6 deficit.  They countered with an 8-0 capped off by a three from Karson Ganesbom. Hastings eventually got the lead with a driving basket by Mason Hiemstra for a 27-26 lead.  A three from Shane Chamberlain broke a tie, giving the Broncos a 39-36 lead late in the half. The Broncos lead 42-41 at halftime. The 2^nd half saw the lead change hands several times.  Hastings took a 51-50 with 14:34 left on a basket by Hiemstra.  Another clutch three by Hiemstra tied the game at 73 with around 3 minutes to go.  The Bulldogs answered with back to back threes to close out the game. Bart Hiscock finished going 9-27 with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks.  Hastings was not as competitive at RV Dordt, falling 89-66. It was a battle in the first half. Dordt played well early, they led 33-21 midway through the half.  The Broncos used a late 12-4 run to cut the lead to 43-40 at halftime. A three from Shane Chamberlain cut the lead to 58-56 with 13:48 left. Dordt countered with a 10-0 run and the Broncos did not have an answer.  Hiscock was the only Bronco in double digits, finishing 7-15 with 19 points and 5 rebounds. Hastings falls to 13-15, 6-12 in the GPAC. They are in 8^th place, just one game ahead of Briar Cliff and Midland.  They close out the season with a two game home stand against Doane on Wednesday, and against #10 Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday.  

Currently Out of GPAC Tournament

• Briar Cliff lost a tight battle with RV Dordt 92-86.  The first half was all Dordt, as the Defenders lead 45-31 at halftime.    The Chargers battled back in the 2^nd half, and even managed a late 6-point lead.  They could not maintain the lead as their common theme of defensive rebounding struggles continued to haunt them.  Jackson Lamb ended the game with 5 threes, giving him 361 for his career, breaking Clay Harreld’s record of 358 threes for most all time in Briar Cliff history.  Lamb finished 10-19 (5-9 from 3, 8-8 at the line) with 33 points and 8 rebounds. The Chargers fall to 14-14, and 5-13 in the GPAC. They are tied with Midland for 9^th, a game back of Hastings for the last tournament spot.  Briar Cliff closes out the season with two more home games, Jamestown on Wednesday, Doane on Saturday.  
• Midland started their week by continuing their win streak with an 83-73 win over Doane.  The first half saw the lead change on six occasions. Midland finished the half very strong, making 6 of 7 shots to go up 14 at halftime. The Warriors improved their lead to 18 early in the 2^nd half.  Doane had one run in them, going on a 10-1 run to cut the lead to 8.  A three by Bowen Sandquist had Midland up 11, allowing them to withstand the charge.  Sandquist finished 7-17 (5-12 from 3) with 20 points and 5 rebounds. Arturo Montes had a solid game off the bench, going 6-10 (4-7 from 3) with 18 points.  The Warriors nearly pulled off a major upset of Northwestern, falling 76-73 in Orange City. Northwestern started strong, taking a 14-point lead in the first half.  Samuel Mailloux answered by scoring the last 14 points of the half for Midland, cutting the Raiders lead to 38-31 at halftime. Threes by Kylan Smallwood and Bowen Sandquist had the Raiders lead down to two early in the 2^nd half.  Back to back buckets by Laurence Merritt allowed Midland to even the score at 72 with two minutes left.  Northwestern answered with a bucket, and Midland could not tie the game again. Mallioux finished with a career high 20 points on 6 of 15 shooting.  He also added 6 rebounds and two blocks. Midland goes to 9-16 on the season and 5-13 in the GPAC. They are tied with Briar Cliff for 9^th, a game back of Hastings for the last GPAC Tournament spot.  Midland closes the season with a two game homestand against RV Concordia on Wednesday and #18 Mount Marty on Saturday.  

• Doane had a pair of competitive losses this week.  They lost to Midland 83-73 in their first game.  The Tigers battled all day, and took advantage of the offensive glass, outscoring Midland 12-0 in 2^nd chance points.  The Tigers failed to take advantage of free throws, going just 9 of 21 from the charity stripe.  The Tigers were led by Zach Witters going 5-11 with 14 points. Miguel Lopez posted a double-double, scoring 10 points and 14 rebounds. The Tigers of Doane played well early against the Tigers of DWU before falling 79-64.  A 12-0 run early in the game by Doane allowed them to lead for the last 15 minutes of the first half. Doane was up 36-33 at halftime. DWU dominated the 2^nd half, shooting 68% in the period.  Doane was led by Anthony Laravie scoring 17 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.  Miguel Lopez was solid, going 6-12 with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Doane falls to 7-21 and 2-16 in the GPAC.  They have clinched last place in the GPAC. They finish the season with road games at Hastings on Wednesday and at Briar Cliff on Saturday.  

TAD’S POWER RANKINGS

1. Morningside (-) – Offense delivered a statement with a 111 point showing
2. Dakota Wesleyan (-) – Struggled a bit this week 
3. Northwestern (+1) – Clinched a national tournament bid, can finish 2^nd in GPAC with a solid showing this week
4. Mount Marty (+2) – Season sweep of DWU 
5. Dordt (-) – Solid victories this week
6. Concordia (+1) – Looked very good against Mount Marty 
7. Jamestown (-4) – Defense struggled against two very good offenses
8. Briar Cliff (-) – Massive opportunity against Jamestown
9. Hastings (-) – Can wrap up the 8 seed with a pair of wins
10. Midland (-) – Needing a pair of wins to overtake Hastings for the 8 seed
11. Doane (-) – Competed this week

Stat Leaders

Points Per Game

1. Jackson Lamb (BCU) 23.71 ppg
2. Ty Hoglund (DWU) 22.54 ppg
3. Chris King (MMC) 21.24 ppg
4. Bart Hiscock (HAS) 21.12 ppg
5. Trent Hilbrands (NWC) 17.42 ppg

FG%

• Tyler Borchers (MOR) 62.4%
• Colby Johnson (MMC) 57.5%
• Zach Imig (MOR) 56.1%
• Craig Sterk (NWC) 55.9%
• Bart Hiscock (HAS) 50.1%

3pt%

• Nick Hoyt (BCU) 50.8%
• Jaden Kleinhesselink (BCU) 49.5%
• Ben Hoskins (MOR) 49.0%
• Colby Johnson (MMC) 48.6%
• Cade Bleeker (DOR) 47.0%

Free Throw %

• Jay Small (NWC) 93.6%
• Jackson Lamb (BCU) 90.0%
• Isaiah Dobson (JAM) 89.2%
• Ty Hoglund (DWU) 85.4%
• Chris King (MMC) 80.9%

Assists per game

• Zach Imig (MOR) 4.31 apg
• Jordan Johnson (MMC) 3.91 apg
• Isaiah Dobson (JAM) 3.52 apg
• Matt Hahn (MOR) 3.52 apg
• Ty Hoglund (DWU) 3.00 apg

Rebounds per game

• Bart Hiscock (HAS) 8.27 rpg
• Miguel Lopex (DOA) 7.71rpg
• Chuol Biel (CUNE) 7.70 rpg
• Garrett Franken (DOR) 7.55 rpg
• Jack Talley (JAM) 7.23 rpg

Blocks per game

• Chuol Biel (CON) 1.82 bpg
• Brock Schrom (JAM) 1.52 bpg
• Craig Sterk (NWC) 1.15 bpg
• Samuel Mailloux (MID) 1.12 bpg
• Tyler Borchers (MOR) 1.00 bpg
• Mason Larson (DWU) 1.00 bpg

Steals per game

• Chris King (MMC) 1.72 spg
• Mason Hiemstra (HAS) 1.64 spg
• Isiah Sykes (DOA) 1.52 spg
• Samuel McCloud (DWU) 1.44 spg
• Justin Wiersema (CUNE) 1.38 spg

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Wednesday February 19^th 

Northwestern (20-8 12-6) @ #10 Dakota Wesleyan (20-7 12-6)

• Winner takes over 2^nd place in the GPAC

Jamestown (18-10 9-9) @ Briar Cliff (14-14 5-13)

• Jamestown working on improving seeding while BCU is fighting to keep their season alive

Saturday February 22^nd

#10 Dakota Wesleyan (20-7 12-6) @ Hastings (13-15 6-12)

• Broncos may have a chance to clinch the 8 seed if they haven’t already 

#1 Morningside (25-2 17-2) @ Northwestern (20-8 12-6)

• These two teams are among the best offensive teams in the country.