This story is sponsored by Forward Financial Bank
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – It may have taken the Marshfield boys basketball team a while to get going, but the Tigers may have finally found the keys to success.
After stumbling to a 2-6 start to the season, the Tigers have reeled off three-straight victories, including a pair of Wisconsin Valley Conference wins last week by a combined 71 points.
Marshfield ripped Chippewa Falls in a nonconference game 58-38 on Dec. 22, then had to wait two weeks to play again as it took time off during the holiday break.
The time off didn’t stop any momentum the Tigers may have gained from that big road win as they dominated D.C. Everest 79-43 on Jan. 6 and came back the next night to rip Wisconsin Rapids 83-48.
Now, at 5-6 overall and 2-2 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference heading into Friday’s game at Wausau West, second-year coach Scott Scheuer said the team has found its rhythm.
“They got after it and I’m really proud of them for that,” Scheuer said following the win against Everest. “It was a tremendous effort (defensively). We’ve had a few games like that, but we weren’t efficient on the offensive end. Sometimes when you work hard on the defensive end and don’t convert on offense, it’s hard to go back down now and put that same effort in again and again.”
Marshfield was able to convert on the offensive end, shooting 62 percent from the field against Everest and 57 percent vs. Rapids.
Senior guard Ethan Posteluk has emerged as the team’s leading scorer with a combined 50 points in the last three games. Junior forward Seth Anderson has also upped his game recently, hitting for double digits in the points column in each of the past four games.
The return of 6-foot-4 sophomore Reed Miller has helped spark the turnaround. Miller was injured in the season-opener back in late November and came back for the first time against Everest. He came off the bench and scored a combined 17 points in the two victories, but more importantly, has stretched the Tigers’ depth.
With the subs getting plenty of playing time in the two blowout wins, 11 of the 12 Tigers on the roster scored in each game.
“Reed coming back helps us a lot,” Scheuer said. “It gives up another ball handler and he’s really talented. With him, our continuity is a little bit better. Our upper classmen are understanding how important everybody is. We have 12 guys on varsity and I don’t look at any of them as ‘this guy’s not as important as this guy.’ If it’s not in practice, it’s something off the floor. We’re fortunate that we have 12 guys, they’re all good guys, and they’re all important.”