Mineral Point Holds Off Aquinas in D4 Sectional Semifinal
RICHLAND CENTER — In Wednesday’s WIAA Division 4 State sectional semifinal, 1-seed Mineral Point held off the upset big of 6-seed La Crosse Aquinas…
Brayden Dailey – 2021 – Forward – Mineral Point
He’s pretty unorthodox, but this kid gets results. Always a big game waiting to happen, Dailey scored 23 points in Wednesday’s win. Poised beyond his years, Dailey really settled Mineral Point down late in the first half. Aquinas made their move and came back to grab a lead. It was Dailey who calmly stepped up and drilled timely shots after the Pointers were sputtering offensively.
A 6-foot-5 freshman with versatility, Dailey is a deadly 3-point shooter. He can kill defenses in the pick n’ pop game and even bring the ball up the floor and let it fly from a few feet beyond the arc. His movements to the basket feel awkward, like a lot of freshman who haven’t developed physically, but Dailey still finds ways to put the ball in the basket against tough coverage. Dailey was defended by guards most of the night, but he had plenty of counters to still get clean looks despite their best efforts to keep him away from the rim.
Lindsey has scholarship offers from UNLV, Green Bay, and South Dakota State.Currently No. 7 in our class of 2021 rankings, Dailey might be too low. Based on his overall skill set and ability to be a mismatch nightmare, Dailey is probably a top five prospect right now. It will be interesting to see what happens when he starts putting weight on his raw frame and adds explosiveness to his impressive finesse play.
Isaac Lindsey – 2020 – SG – Mineral Point
Lindsey dropped 30 in Wednesday’s victory. If the athleticism and strength catches up to his skill set, Lindsey is a power-five guard. The tools are there. The 6-foot-4 sophomore has a little Tyler Herro in him as a kid you can isolate on the perimeter and just let him go to work.
A kid you can’t give space to, Lindsey has a quick, effortless trigger and his range can be limitless when he’s got it going. Rounding out his game, Lindsey is getting more comfortable scoring while going to the rim. His handles have greatly improved over the last year and Lindsey can break down tight defense. Even when Lindsey was forced into some uncomfortable, off-balance looks, he still connected from mid-range.
The shot selection can be questionable at times, but Lindsey’s dry spells don’t last long anyway. Holding offers from UNLV, UW-Green Bay, and South Dakota State, Lindsey also has a handful of power-five programs keeping tabs on him. This off-season and travel season will be big for him. If he can add that needed burst of athleticism and replicate his production against Division 1 talent, Lindsey is a no-brainer offer for a lot of high major programs.
Conley Malone – 2018 – PG – La Crosse Aquinas
Tough to see a kid like this go out, but credit Malone who saved some of his best for last. The senior just wouldn’t let his team die without a fight. Mineral Point dominated most of the game and it certainly felt like the Pointers should have held a double-digit lead the entire second half, but every time you looked up at the scoreboard, Aquinas was right there within striking distance.
Leading a gritty effort, Malone scored a team-high 23 points. Whenever the Bluegolds needed a shot, Malone seemed to deliver. Against the zone, Malone found the soft spots in the corners and did a lot of damage from 3-point range or pulling up just a few feet inside after a nice pump fake and letting defenders fly by.
A crafty guard, Malone won’t blow you away with athleticism or speed, but this is a prospect that averages 17 points per game in a pretty good conference because he’s got a high-IQ and can quickly figure out what works. Despite lacking ideal measurables, the 6-foot-1 guard just gets better against pressure. He’s impossible to speed up and doesn’t make mistakes with the basketball.
A 1,000-point scorer, Malone left a lasting impression on Wednesday.