Five Takeaways From Beaver Dam-Kimberly
BEAVER DAM — No. 4 Kimerbly (11-1) got more than they bargained for during Saturday’s trip to Beaver Dam (7-6). However, the Papermakers were able to survive the potential upset, getting a big performance from a senior forward… Levi Borchert…
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Continue ReadingBEAVER DAM — No. 4 Kimerbly (11-1) got more than they bargained for during Saturday’s trip to Beaver Dam (7-6). However, the Papermakers were able to survive the potential upset, getting a big performance from a senior forward…
Levi Borchert Needs to Be Recruited Harder
Buy stock in Levi Borchert and buy it fast.
He’s not necessarily a late bloomer, but Borchert is playing some of his best basketball. We watched him dominate the interior against the defending Division 2 state champions, Kaukauna, earlier in the season. On Saturday, Borchert had stretches where he put Kimberly on his back in the second half to spoil Beaver Dam’s upset bid, finishing with a game-high 28 points.
An old school big man, Borchert is a guy you can just give the ball on the block to and let him go to work. He’s outstanding in 1-on-1 situations with his back to the basket, using tricky footwork and an excellent pump fake to get defenders in the air or off balance. Borchert isn’t a stretch forward, but can handle the ball well and will shoot it if given enough room, although he’s rarely willing to settle for a jumper, knowing his bread and butter is down low.
Borchert (6-5) is a little undersized, but you don’t worry about him at the next level. He’s an outstanding rebounder on both ends and kills teams on the offensive glass. UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, and Bryant and Stratton are the three schools in the best shape right now, but Division 3 and NAIA programs should be lining up here.
Nate Abel Will Be Ranked Soon
Beaver Dam sophomore guard Nate Abel scored 19 points and dished out five assists in Saturday’s loss. We haven’t seen much of him to this point, but there’s a lot to like.
Abel has a ways to go athletically and physically but has a frame that can support a lot more weight and some intriguing length for a point guard. The 5-foot-11 guard can play on or off the ball. He’s a solid ball handler that isn’t fazed by defenders getting up in his shorts and has the potential to be a better creator off the dribble if he can improve his speed/quickness.
Abel did most of his damage from the 3-point line. Connecting on five triples, Abel knocked down some key shots in the first half when it looked like Kimberly would start to pull away. Off the ball, Abel sets his feet and squares his shoulders to the rim very well, showcasing great fundamentals.
The AAU season will tell us more about Abel, but right now, we see him in the 60-70 range with definite top 50 potential.
Kimberly Has the Potential to Make a Deep Run
This isn’t news, but Kimberly has to be satisfied that they can win on the road in a game where their best player didn’t have his best stuff.
Jake Buchanan finished with 14 points and six assists, but was often held in check for large stretches. After getting off to a fast start, Buchanan didn’t make a ton of noise until late in the second half where he scored seven quick points to help the Papermakers gain some much-needed separation.
You don’t see a lot of teams resting players who average better than 20 points per game. Kimberly definitely has that luxury and also beat Kaukauna earlier in the season and threw their knockout punch while Buchanan was on the bench.
Credit role players like Charlie Jacobson, Alex Martzahl, Adam Bird, and Braeden Thies that always seem to step up when their number is called. That will pay dividends for Kimberly in March when they face equally talented foes or teams who have already seen them 2-3 times.
Beaver Dam Could Play Spoiler in March
The middle of the Badger North Conference seems to be beating each other up right now as DeForest and Mount Horeb have emerged as the two frontrunners. That said, Beaver Dam didn’t look like a 7-6 ball club on Saturday.
They don’t do anything crazy or special, but the Beavers just don’t beat themselves and hit timely shots. Beaver Dam has now hung with Mount Horeb, Seymour, and Kimberly and has a nice win over Merrill.
Granted, they’re not going to hit 15 3-pointers every night like they did on Saturday, but the Beavers get contributions from just about everybody, including Cade Ferron, who scored a team-high 21 points.
Miller Is Steadily Improving
Thought last season and during the summer that Reed Miller was more suited for the Division 3 level. He’s making Minnesota-Crookston look pretty smart.
Improving his offensive package, Miller can do damage in a variety of ways. He’s always been a strong, if not deadly 3-point shooter that doesn’t need a lot of space to get his shot, but other parts of his game are now catching up. Miller is a much better athlete than he was a year ago and can play above the rim a little bit. He’s got a strong mid-range game off the dribble and can score with his momentum going away from the bucket. Miller has a very soft touch from 10-12 feet and can also take advantage of mismatch opportunities in the post.
Averaging 12 points per game this season, Miller has been the third option for the Papermakers this season, but he’s more than capable of being the go-to threat for this team at times.