Sat - 08 Jan
Written by Jim Ecker
MINNEAPOLIS -- Cedar Rapids Washington Coach Brad Metzger has been looking for a boost from his bench players all season. Oddly enough, he found it in Minneapolis.
David Tann and Trent Hoekstra gave the Warriors a lift in the first half Saturday night and the Warriors clipped Chaska, 59-55, at the Timberwolves Shootout in the Target Center.
Tann and Hoekstra combined for nine points -- two more than they'd scored all season -- as Washington beat the ninth-ranked Class 4A team in Minnesota.
Hoekstra, who hadn't scored a point all year, made two big baskets for four points.
"I guess it's a once-in-lifetime experience," said the 6-foot-1 senior. "I tried to make everything of it. I just want to go out there and try my hardest."
Hoekstra scored four points and the Warriors won by four points. All told, Washington's bench players outscored Chaska's reserves, 9-0.
"Tann and Hoekstra, they stepped up big-time tonight, on the big stage," said Washington star Wes Washpun, who played a strong game and finished with 23 points.
They play 18 minute halves in Minnesota high school basketball, rather than eight minute quarters. That meams the games are 36-minutes long, instead of the 32-minute games in Iowa.
"I kind of had the mindset that I'm going to use some more guys," Metzger said, knowing the games were four minutes longer. "To their credit they pleasantly surprised me to say maybe I ought to do this a little more often."
Tann and Hoekstra made it possible for Washpun and Josh Oglesby to do the heavy lifting in a big victory. Washpun, a mercurial point guard, filled out the boxscore with his 23 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and no turnovers.
"I think he showcased some great tools and some reasons why people need to take a look at what he can do on the court, outside of points," Metzger said.
Washpun, a 6-foot-1 senior, has not received any major college offers at this point.
Oglesby, who has signed with Iowa, scored 20 points and made two key free throws with 10.5 seconds left to give the Warriors their 59-55 lead and seal the victory.
"I like that Oglesby kid, obviously, and Washpun," Chaska Coach Dana Kallman remarked. "Both those guys are very good players."
Washington (6-3) jumped to a 35-20 lead at halftime and grabbed a 38-20 advantage on a 3-pointer by Washpun, but there were still more than 17 minutes to go.
Jake White, a 6-foot-8 senior who has signed with Wichita State, poured in 18 points in the second half and the Hawks (7-3) got within a point at 51-50 and 55-54, but the Warriors never lost the lead. Oglesby scored Washington's last four points at the foul line, where he went 7-fot-7 in the game.
Washington lost at home to Minnetonka on Friday night, 60-51, but the Warriors finished their weekend with an even split with their two Minnesota foes.
"Last night we didn't play well, we had to get up in the morning and travel," Metzger said. "I was proud that they came ready to play, played hard and represented Iowa and our school well.
"They played together," he said. "It's probably one of the better team efforts we've had all year. It turned out to be a great bonding experience for us. It was exactly what we needed right now."
White finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for Chaska. Ross Travis, a 6-7 senior who has signed with Penn State, finished with 13 points, five points below his average. Cybryan Moa, a 6-1 junior who sacrificed six inches in the matchup, had the assignment of guarding Travis much of the game.
WASHINGTON (59): Washpun 9 4-9 23, Moa 0 0-0 0, Oglesby 5 7-7 20, Carr 1 0-2 3, Bredl 2 0-0 4, Hoekstra 2 0-0 4, Tann 2 1-1 5, Todd 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 11-18 59.
CHASKA (55): Watts 3 0-0 8, Happ 2 0-0 6, Fischer 1 0-0 2, Travis 4 5-8 13, White 11 3-5 26, Loosbrock 0 0-0 0, Knowles 0 0-0 0, Koehler 0 0-0 0, Marvin 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 8-13 55.
Halftime -- Washington 35, Chaska 20. 3-point goals -- Washington 6-21 (Oglesby 3, Washpun 1, Carr 1, Tann 1), Chaska 5 (Watts 2, Happ 2, White 1). Fouled out -- Watts, Koehler.
Last Updated on Sunday, 09 January 2011 09:31
