This story is sponsored by Norm E Lane Farm
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield boys basketball team is coming off one of the best seasons in school history.
The Tigers posted an 18-6 record, equaling the most wins in school history (1961-62), won their first Wisconsin Valley Conference championship since 1992, and grabbed their first WIAA playoff victory since 2003.
Coming into the 2010-11 season, which begins Friday with a nonconference game at Baraboo, Marshfield has the expectations that it can repeat last year’s success, despite losing three starters and one reserve to graduation and another starter for at least a portion of the season to injury.
“We sent a strong group of seniors out the door and their strengths will certainly be missed,” Marshfield coach Craig Michaelis said. “I don’t think we are going to be as quick as we were last year. We lost a lot of athleticism. They really made us a great defensive team.
“We’ve seen guys in practice and our scrimmage … everyone is contributing.”
The top returnees are senior Cale Zuiker and junior Elliot Ashbeck, the top two 3-point shooters in the WVC last season.
Zuiker, who will play collegiately at Division I Youngstown State next year, led the Tigers in scoring at 12.4 points a game, grabbed 5 rebounds a game and shot 46.7 percent from 3-point range in league play. Ashbeck scored 7.1 points a game and shot 36.4 percent from long distance.
Only two other players on the roster – 7-foot center Jon Bauer and forward Dustin Thumann – saw significant varsity action a year ago.
Point guard Sully Luepke suffered a leg injury during the football season and will be out for a significant portion of the season, although Michaelis is hopeful he will be able to return to the court, but is preparing as if he won’t be.
“It’s hard to take a guy that has two years of experience and expect for someone to fill his shoes,” Michaelis said. “We’re going to do it by committee and play to our strengths. We’ve got to operate as if we’re never going to see him this year. Hopefully, he heals quickly and we do get to see him.”
Juniors Brandon Brown and Adam Voss will grab the reins at point guard, with Ashbeck seeing some action there as well.
Seniors Ian Padron and Josh Hennes and juniors Alex Arendt, Brody Erickson and Sean Koran also will compete for playing time.
“Ian really established himself on the inside in our scrimmage and got some scoring opportunities inside,” Michaelis said. “We got to the foul line a lot, and I think Jon (Bauer) has improved and is finishing around the rim. That’s exciting to see. We’re going to play together. Certainly we’re going to give Cale chances to score the ball, but we aren’t going to rely on one person. I think that’s a strength for us.”
Marshfield led the Valley in field goal percentage (48.8), 3-point percentage (39.7) and scoring defense (39.8 points a game), while finishing second in scoring offense (47.7 ppg).
Michaelis believes in order to repeat those numbers, and the success of a year ago, it will start on the defensive end.
“The keys in the Valley is always defensive average and field goal percentage,” Michaelis said. “We are going to go to our strengths. We have a ton of size, we’re going to set up defensively to take advantage of that. We have smart ballplayers, experienced ballplayers and that is certainly is something we can use.
“Our quickness probably comes from guys Tigers fans haven’t seen before – Adam Voss, Brandon Brown, Sean Koran, Brody Erickson.”
The Tigers open their home schedule Tuesday against La Crosse Central and will begin its Wisconsin Valley Conference slate Dec. 10 at home against Merrill, whom Michaelis said he considers a favorite, along with Wisconsin Rapids, to compete with Marshfield for the top of the conference.