By Tad Dorsey

2020-21 GPAC Standings

• #9 Morningside picked up a pair of impressive wins, in the process clinching a share of the GPAC regular season championship.  Their 87-77 victory at #16 Dakota Wesleyan was their most impressive of the season.  The Mustangs fell behind 50-38 early in the 2^nd half, before an impressive display of defense shut down the Tigers down the stretch.  Mside used a 23-7 run to go up for good.  They closed out the game going 12-13 at the line in the closing stretch.  The dominance on the glass was apparent for Mside, beating DWU 45-27.  Trey Brown was 8-13 with 20 points and 12 rebounds.  Zach Imig was 6-12 with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.  Morningside also beat Doane 95-71.  The first half was competitive, ending in a 41 all tie.  The Mustangs defense got it going in the second half, and the offense kept rolling as they started on a 28-5 run to blow the game open.  Zach Imig was 8-12 with 22 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds.  It was a season high scoring effort for Imig.  Will Pottebaum was 6-12 with 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Trey Brown was 4-4 with 10 points and 15 rebounds.  Morningside improves to 16-3 in the GPAC, 20-3 overall.  They would clinch the GPAC regular season championship outright with a win at Northwestern in their season finale, which is February 20^th.  They have next week off. 
• RV Jamestown stayed alive in the GPAC race with a pair of wins.  They had an exciting 72-71 victory at Briar Cliff.  It was an intense battle all the way through.  Jamestown had a strong first half leading 40-31 at halftime.  A 15-4 Chargers run in the second half evened the score at 48.  Jamestown was up 62-61 with 4:10 left, before a pair of BCU threes had the Chargers up 5.  A three by Cole Woodford and a layup by Marc Kjos tied the game with 29 seconds left.  Following a Chargers basket, Marc Kjos hit the game winner of a deflection to secure the win.  Kjos finished the game 7-12 (4-9 from 3) with 18 points and 5 rebounds.  Brady Birch was 5-8 with 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Jamestown defeated Midland 100-74.  After falling behind early, Jamestown tied the game and went up with 7:40 before halftime on a pair of Allante’ Pickens FTs.  It was 48-38 at halftime.  An early 19-9 run in the 2^nd half iced it for the Jimmies.  Mason Walters was 9-15 with 21 points and 15 rebounds.  Marc Kjos was 6-8 (all threes) with 18 points.  Jamestown improves to 14-4 in the GPAC, 18-5 overall.  They are currently 2^nd place in the GPAC.  They would need to win each of their last two games (at Northwestern on Wednesday and at #16 Dakota Wesleyan on Feb. 20^th) and have Morningside lose their finale to win the regular season GPAC championship. 
• Northwestern defeated Mount Marty 78-71 in their only game of the week.  After a shaking first half which saw Mount Marty up one at half, the Red Raiders got going after halftime.  A 12-2 run sparked by threes from Matt Onken, Isaac Heyer and Alex Van Kalsbeek gave the Raiders a 53-47 lead with 12 minutes left and from there they led the rest of the way.  Trent Hilbrands was 7-11 (4-5 from 3) with 20 points.  Alex Van Kalsbeek was 7-7 with 18 points and 5 rebounds.  The Raiders improve to 13-5 in the GPAC, 18-5 overall.  They are 3^rd in the GPAC, a game behind RV Jamestown, a half game up on #16 Dakota Wesleyan.  They have a difficult stretch to close the season hosting RV Jamestown on Wednesday and hosting #15 Morningside on February 20^th.  They could need two wins to clinch a top four finish and first round GPAC home game. 
• #16 Dakota Wesleyan hit a roadblock this week going 0-2.  They fell 87-77 at home against #9 Morningside.  It was a high energy first half with both teams exchanging runs, and it ended with a DWU run as they erased a Mustangs lead and took a 36-34 halftime lead off a steal by Sawyer Schultz leading to a layup by Nick Harden.  An early 7-0 run for DWU in the 2^nd half gave them a 10-point lead.  The Tigers shooting went cold from there allowing Mside to take control of the game.  Nick Harden was 11-26 (8-8 from the line) with 31 points and 4 rebounds.  They lost 89-77 at Concordia.  After an early CUNE lead, the Tigers had a 13-5 run to tie it at 32.  DWU was down 3 at halftime.  The Tigers took a lead off a three by Ace Zorr to start the 2^nd half, but Concordia went on a run from there, as DWU couldn’t get back on track.  Ace Zorr had an incredible game off the bench, going 13-18 with 30 points and 14 rebounds off the bench.  DWU falls to 12-5 in the GPAC, 16-6 overall. They are a half game ahead of Concordia for 4^th in the GPAC.  They host Dordt on Wednesday, Midland on Saturday, and close the season on February 20^th against RV Jamestown. 
• Concordia split a pair of GPAC matchups.  They fell 75-69 at Dordt to start the week.  A sluggish start by Concordia was too much to overcome.  They were down 39-26 at halftime.  They attempted a rally and made it a close game late but could not get the shots to fall at the end.  Gage Smith was 6-11 with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists.  Carter Kent was 6-12 (4-6 from 3) with 16 points and 3 assists.  They closed the week with an impressive 89-77 upset over #16 Dakota Wesleyan.  The Bulldogs had a much more consistent game this time.  After a competitive first half, seeing the Bulldogs lead 45-42, they came out strong after halftime.  Gage Smith scored 20 in the 2^nd half alone to help secure the win.  It was a career night for Smith, scoring a career high 32 points on 11-17 shooting (5-9 from 3).  He also had 9 rebounds and 4 assists.  Justin Wiersema added 15 points.  The Bulldogs go to 12-6 in the GPAC, 15-8 overall.  They are 1 game up on Dordt for 5^th in the GPAC.  They likely would need wins over Hastings (Wednesday) and Doane (Feb. 20^th) to have a chance to finish in the top 4 of the GPAC. 
• Dordt was victorious in their only game, defeating Concordia 75-69.  The Defenders lead for most of the game, going up 7-5 on a Jacob Vis basket with 16:28 left in the first half and leading from there.  This was part of an early 11-0 run.  It was 39-26 at halftime.  The Bulldogs did not make it easy in the second half, as they cut it to 50-48 early in the 2^nd half.  It was again down to 63-62 with 5:14 left.  Clutch free throws late by Bryce Coppock allowed Dordt to secure the win. Garrett Franken was 8-20 with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.  Coppock was 5-8 with 14 points.  Dordt improves to 11-7 in the GPAC, 16-7 overall.  They have secured a top 6 finish in the GPAC.  They are at #16 DWU on Wednesday and finish the season at Briar Cliff on Feb. 20^th.  They would need 2 wins to have an outside chance at a top 4 finish in the GPAC. 
• Briar Cliff split a pair of GPAC matchups.  They lost a heartbreak against Jamestown, falling 72-71 on a last second three. After falling behind 40-31 at halftime, the Chargers came out very strong in the 2^nd half.  An early 17-8 run tied it at 48.  A three by Conner Groves with 9:26 left put the Chargers up 55-54.  It was 69-64 BCU with 2:10 left.  The Jimmies would tie it at 69 with 29 seconds left.  Conner Groves hit a go-ahead basket to put the Chargers up 71-69 before the last second three ended the game.  Quinten Vasa had 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.    The Chargers defeated Hastings 71-61.  A slow start allowed Hastings to go up 13-4.  The Chargers offense struggled in the first half as they trailed 27-25 at halftime.  An early 14-6 run after halftime got things rolling for the Chargers.  The defense played well to secure the win.  Conner Groves was 5-11 with 16 points and 8 rebounds.  Andrew Gibb was 7-10 with 16 points and 7 rebounds.  Briar Cliff is 9-10 in the GPAC, 12-2 overall.  They have secured the 7 seed in the GPAC tournament.  They close the regular season at home against Dordt on February 20^th, they are off this week. 
•  Mount Marty again split their two GPAC games, securing the 8^th and final spot in the GPAC tournament in the process.  They defeated Hastings 82-67 on the road.  Mount Marty jumped out with a big first half.  The lead was 49-27 at halftime.  Hastings’ offense tried to mount a comeback after half time, but the lead was to much.  Jailen Billings was 6-7 (3-3 from 3, 6-6 at the line) with 21 points.  Elijah Pappas added 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.  The Lancers closed out the regular season with a 78-71 loss at Northwestern.  It was a very competitive game.  The Lancers lead 35-34 at halftime.  Northwestern took the lead in the second half.  Mount Marty kept it close in the 2^nd half but were unable to pull through in the end.  Tyrell Harper was 9-17 with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists.  The Lancers finish the regular season at 6-14 in the GPAC, 9-16 overall.  They will be the 8 seed in the GPAC tournament. 
• Doane fell to #9 Morningside, 95-71.  The Tigers put forth a great effort in the first half, playing even with the Mustangs.  The 2^nd half the Mustangs came out to play.  A 20-0 run in the half by Morningside was to withstand for Doane.  Anthony Laravie was 8-16 with 22 points and 3 rebounds.  Jaxon Harre was 4-9 (4-4 from the line) with 15 points and 7 rebounds.  Doane falls to 3-15 in the GPAC, 6-17 overall.  They are at Midland on Wednesday and conclude the season February 20^th at Concordia. 
• Midland fell 100-74 against RV Jamestown on the road.  After a quick 15-6 start for the Warriors, the Jimmies offense dominated.  Jamestown quickly tied with 3 consecutive threes and lead 48-38 at halftime.  The Jimmies offense continued to roll into the 2^nd half as they were able to put the game away.  Jake Rueschhoff was 10-20 with 26 points and 6 rebounds.  Bo Sandquist was 7-16 (6-6 from the line) with 22 points and 5 rebounds.  Midland falls to 2-15 in the GPAC, 4-16 overall.  They host Doane on Wednesday, are at #16 Dakota Wesleyan on Sunday, and conclude the season at Hastings on February 20^th. 
• Hastings was 0-2 last week.  The started with an 82-67 loss to Mount Marty.  The Broncos got off to a slow start, falling behind 32-8.  The played fairly even with the Lancers from there but were unable to get back in the game after falling down by a game high 27 points.  Karson Gansebom was 9-18 with 23 points and 6 rebounds.  Mason Hiemstra was 9-21 with 25 points and 4 rebounds.  The Broncos fell 71-61 against the Chargers on the road.  They were much more competitive in this matchup.  A three by Gansebom with 5:08 before halftime put Hastings up 22-21.  They would hold a 27-25 lead at halftime.  The Chargers responded in the second half, building a double-digit lead and closing out the game.  Mason Hiemstra had 24 points, Karson Gansebom added 17 points, while Dashawn Walker had 12 points and 9 rebounds.  Hastings falls to 2-16 in the GPAC, 6-17 overall.  Hastings is at Concordia on Wednesday before concluding their season at home against Midland on February 20^th. 

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TAD’S POWER RANKINGS

1. Morningside (-) Huge win over DWU to retain first place
2. Jamestown (-) Fun stretch as they finish with DWU and NWC
3. Dakota Wesleyan (-) – Competed well with Morningside
4. Concordia (+1) – Impressive win over DWU
5. Northwestern (-1) – Close call against Mount Marty
6. Dordt (-) Very solid upset over Concordia
7. Briar Cliff (-) – Have a difficult time beating the teams ahead of the in the standings
8. Mount Marty (-) –  Great performance against Hastings to earn their GPAC tournament spot
9. Doane (-) – A great first half against Mside
10. Midland (+1) – Defense struggled against Jamestown, as many do
11. Hastings (-) – Rough start against Mount Marty

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Games of the Week:

RV Jamestown (14-4 18-5) at Northwestern (13-5 18-5)

Wednesday February 10^th 8:00pm

There could be a lot of points here tonight, as the top two scoring teams in the GPAC meet with massive seeding implications on the line

Dordt (11-7 16-7) at #16 Dakota Wesleyan (12-5 16-6)

 Wednesday February 10^th 8:00pm

DWU needs to get back on track while Dordt is looking for a signature win.

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GPAC Stat Leaders

Points Per Game

1. Mason Walters (JAM) 21.96ppg (18^th nationally)
2. Alex Van Kalsbeek (NWC) 19.70ppg
3. Trey Brown (MOR) 17.09ppg
4. Nick Harden (DWU) 17.00ppg
5. Karson Gansebom (HAS) 16.96ppg
6. Anthony Laravie (DOA) 16.70ppg
7. Justin Wiersema (CUNE) 16.65ppg
8. Trent Hilbrands (NWC) 16.52ppg
9.  Mason Hiemstra (HAS) 16.32ppg
10. Garrett Franken (DOR) 15.96ppg

FG% (minimum 75% games played, and 5 FG made per game)

1. Alex Van Kalsbeek (NWC) 74.7% (2^nd nationally)
2. Mason Walters (JAM) 62.4% (18^th nationally)
3. Trey Brown (MOR) 62.3% (19^th nationally)
4. Craig Sterk (NWC) 60.0%
5. Justin Wiersema (CUNE) 55.9%
6. Dashawn Walker (HAS) 51.2%
7. Zach Imig (MOR) 50.7%
8. Karson Gansebom (HAS) 50.7%
9. Garrett Franken (DOR) 47.9%
10. Koln Oppold (DWU) 47.8%

3PT FG% (Min 75% of games played and 1.5 3PT FG per game)

1. Aidan Vanderloo (MOR) 60.3% (2^nd nationally)
2. Trent Hilbrands (NWC) 44.3%
3. Luke Ronsiek (MMU) 44.0%
4. Will Cordes (JAM) 43.8%
5. Marc Kjos (JAM) 43.5%
6. Quinn Vesey (BCU) 43.0%
7. Sawyer Schultz (DWU) 42.6%
8. Cole Woodford (JAM) 42.6%
9. Justin Wiersema (CUNE) 40.8%
10. Conner Groves (BCU) 40.5%

Assists per game

1. Zach Imig (MOR) 5.09apg
2. Marc Kjos (JAM) 4.40apg
3. Jay Small (NWC) 3.91apg
4. Nick Harden (DWU) 3.90apg
5. Jesse Jansma (DOR) 3.87apg
6. Jake Rueschhoff (MID) 3.68apg
7. Elijah Pappas (MMU) 3.68apg
8. Koln Oppold (DWU) 3.59apg
9. Quinten Vasa (BCU) 3.38apg
10. Allante’ Pickens (JAM) 2.95apg

Rebounds per game

1. Mason Walters (JAM) 12.52tpg (2^nd nationally)
2. Trey Brown (MOR) 11.13rpg (6^th nationally)
3. Gage Smith (CUNE) 9.17rpg
4. Koln Oppold (DWU) 8.00rpg
5. Garrett Franken (DOR) 7.39rpg
6. Zach Imig (MOR) 7.39rpg
7. Craig Sterk (NWC) 7.26rpg
8. Dashawn Walker (HAS) 6.89rpg
9. Alex Van Kalsbeek (NWC) 6.87rpg
10. Elijah Pappas (MMU) 6.40rpg

Steals per game

1. Nick Harden (DWU) 2.40spg (18^th nationally)
2. Mason Hiemstra (HAS) 1.68spg
3. Elijah Pappas (MMU) 1.68spg
4. Quinn Vesey (BCU) 1.67spg
5. Zach Imig (MOR) 1.61spg
6. Justin Wiersema (CUNE) 1.57spg
7. Anthony Laravie (DOA) 1.48spg
8. Conner Groves (BCU) 1.38spg
9. Jake Rueschhoff (MID) 1.37spg
10. Ben Gesink (DOR) 1.17spg

Blocks per game

1. Mason Larson (DWU) 1.65bpg
2. Brock Schrom (JAM) 1.13bpg
3. Jacob Vis (DOR) 1.09bpg
4. Trey Brown (MOR) 0.96bpg
5. Camden Bialas (DOR) 0.96bpg
6. Craig Sterk (NWC) 0.91bpg
7. Alex Van Kalsbeek (NWC) 0.87bpg
8. Mason Walters (JAM) 0.78bpg
9. Trey Powers (MOR) 0.70bpg
10. Quinten Vasa (BCU) 0.67bpg