Five Takeaways From La Crosse Central — Onalaska
After getting beat by a slim margin in the first matchup against Onalaska, La Crosse Central looked like it wasn’t messing around in round two. The Red Raiders jumped out to an 11-0 lead and controlled the first couple minutes…
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Continue ReadingAfter getting beat by a slim margin in the first matchup against Onalaska, La Crosse Central looked like it wasn’t messing around in round two. The Red Raiders jumped out to an 11-0 lead and controlled the first couple minutes of the game. But, it didn’t take long for the Hilltoppers to wake up from their slumber. Onalaska slowly crept back into the competition.
With four minutes left to play, Victor Desmond stepped to the free-throw line after being fouled. Desmond converted on both FT’s to give Onalaska a lead that it would never forfeit. The Hilltoppers outplayed Central down the stretch to earn the 60-54 win.
Here five takeaways from Onalaska’s win over La Crosse Central:
Onalaska has the blueprint to beat La Crosse Central
The Hilltoppers have figured something out. After losing to La Crosse Central three times last year, it looks like Onalaska has turned a corner. For most of the game, Central looked uncomfortable and not in control. The Craig Kowal coached Hilltoppers mixed up defensive looks and held the Red Raiders to just 54 points. Clearly, Onalaska devised an elaborate game plan that was flawlessly executed.
Terrance Thompson is an underappreciated piece of La Crosse Central
Johhny Davis and Jordan Davis get a lot of the credit for La Crosse Central’s consistent winning, but Thompson is a very valuable prospect that doesn’t get enough props. The 6-foot-7 power forward is a force in the paint and he does a great job of swallowing up rebounds. Thompson is also phenomenal on the defensive end of the court. On Tuesday, he used his size and strength to dominate Onalaska’s Gavin McGrath under the basket.
Thompson, who is one of Wisconsin’s best-uncommitted seniors, will make one college program very happy when he commits.
Carson Arenz‘s scoring tilted the game in the Hilltoppers’ favor
Arenz’s 22 points propelled Onalaska to the victory. In a game where both teams struggled to score, the 6-foot-4 wing came up clutch. La Crosse Central left Arenz open on a handful of occasions and he made the Red Raiders pay. Not only did the senior put up 22 points, but he did it efficiently. Arenz played through the offense and didn’t take bad shots. His stellar performance is what swung the momentum to the sideline of Onalaska.
Onalaska’s depth is its greatest asset
Onalaska has so many different players that are capable of getting the job done. Six prospects on the Hilltoppers’ roster are averaging over six points per game.
Carson Arenz is one of the best spot-up shooters in Wisconsin. Tyrell Stuttley is a great slasher and scorer. Gavin McGrath uses his length to block shots and rebound. Dakota Mannel does a fantastic job of playing point guard and running the show. Sam Kick can get a bucket when his team needs it most.
You see? The Hilltoppers can overwhelm opposing teams with their depth. It is just too much for most squads to handle.
The third matchup will matter most
The first two games between Onalaska and La Crosse Central were important — I won’t deny that. But, when these two squads meet in the playoffs (assuming both teams are able to make it that far), all of the previous results won’t matter. The winner will take the biggest prize of playing in the Kohl Center for the chance to win a state title.