This story is sponsored by: Wisconsin Homes of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – With sole possession of first place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference on the line, the Marshfield boys basketball team played arguably its best game of the season.
Marshfield shot 56 percent from the field (23-for-41), led by as much as 18 in the second half, and defeated Stevens Point 57-47 on Friday night at the Chips Hamburgers Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School in a battle of WVC unbeatens.
Senior Carston Freis went 4-for-4 from 3-point range to finish with 12 points, and junior Luke LeMoine also scored 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting for Marshfield, which improves to 6-3 overall and 5-0 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
“Luke LeMoine, Marcus Neve gave us a spark off the bench,” Marshfield coach Chris Fischer said. “Marcus Perkins was solid, Owen Hanson was solid. When we can go nine deep, we’re tough to guard. Carston Freis knocking down four 3s – when everyone on the floor is an offensive threat, how do they guard us? Do they close out hard on the shooters, do they keep us out of the paint? I’m happy with how we performed tonight.”
Three-straight baskets from LeMoine helped push Marshfield out to a 16-12 lead with 6 minutes to go in the first half.
Stevens Point (7-5, 4-1 WVC) rallied to regain the lead on a basket by Nate Streveler, who had a game-high 22 points for the Panthers, before Marshfield scored the final seven points of the half. Gavin Fravert had a 3-pointer and Chase Hinson scored on a runner at the buzzer to give the Tigers a 30-22 lead at halftime.
That momentum carried into the second half. After an early basket by Danny Zdroik for Stevens Point, Marshfield went on a 10-0 run as Brooks Hinson and Freis drilled 3-pointers, pushing the Tigers’ lead to 40-24.
Freis and Carson Kvernen hit two more 3-pointters and Marcus Neve scored inside to help maintain the big lead for Marshfield.
Neve finished with nine points off the bench for the Tigers, who had just four turnovers in the victory.
Marshfield plays a nonconference game at Hudson on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Tigers 57, Panthers 47
Stevens Point 22 25 – 47
Marshfield 30 27 – 57
STEVENS POINT (47): Jack Diekelman 0-1 0-1 0, Damian Cejka 3-9 1-1 8, Baraka Makalin 1-4 0-0 3, Parker VanderLoop 2-6 0-0 5, Nate Streveler 7-12 5-6 22, Benett Klish 0-0 0-0 0, Danny Zdroik 4-6 0-0 9. FG: 17-38. FT: 6-8. 3-pointers: 7-19 (Streveler 3-4, Zdroik 1-1, Maklain 1-3, VanderLoop 1-5, Cejka 1-6). Rebounds: 25 (Streveler 8). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 7-5, 4-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (57): Marcus Perkins 0-0 0-0 0, Chase Hinson 2-7 1-2 5, Gavin Fravert 3-4 0-0 7, Carson Kvernen 3-9 0-2 7, Luke LeMoine 5-7 2-2 12, Brooks Hinson 2-4 0-0 5, Owen Hanson 0-1 0-0 0, Carston Freis 4-5 0-0 12, Marcus Neve 4-4 0-0 9. FG: 23-41. FT: 3-6. 3-pointers: 8-20 (Freis 4-4, Neve 1-1, Fravert 1-2, B. Hinson 1-3, Kvernen 1-5, Hanson 0-1, C. Hinson 0-4). Rebounds: 17 (Fravert 4, Kvernen 4). Turnovers: 4. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 6-3, 5-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.