BLOOMINGTON SOUTH: Semifinals Preview

By Ken Farmer | Bloomington South League Coordinator

7:15 p.m. - No. 2 Aardvarks (7-2) vs No. 3 THEM (6-3)

AARDVARKS:

Points per game - 81.7

Points allowed per game - 71.2

Top scorers - Thomas Hoistad (18.9), Adam Hoven (18.2), Chris Kampmeyer (17.9)

The Aardvarks advanced to the semifinals with a 104-76 victory over the Player’s Club.  Thomas Hoistad and Chris Kampmeyer combined to score 50 points and put constant pressure on the opposing defense. Adam Hoven registered a 18-point, 12-rebound double-double and was a efficient 64 percent from the floor. Jack Storry came of the bench and led the team with 8 assists. They shot 57 percent from the field held their opponent to 36 percent shooting.

THEM:

Points per game - 68.8

Points allowed per game - 64.8

Top scorers - Devin Stensrude (28.6), Sam Hanson (12.0), Nirav Sura (11.7)

THEM punched their ticket to the final four by defeating the Loons in a close 59-56 contest. Neither team shot the ball efficiently nor did they turn the ball over, which made for an even game. They stepped up at the free throw line, converting on 19 of their 23 attempts. Devin Stensrude led the scoring effort with 31 points and shot 93 percent from the charity stripe. Sam Hanson added 10 points and Quintin Brown was the main playmaker with 8 assists.

PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Aardvarks 82, THEM 78

The Aardvarks prevailed in an overtime thriller in Week 3 of the regular season. They shot 49 percent from the field and held the opposition to 41 percent shooting, but THEM were able to stay in the game by forcing 14 turnovers. The Aardvarks also had a number of second chance points thanks to their 14 offensive rebounds. THEM were let down at the free throw line, shooting just 63 percent from the line. Devin Stensrude led all scorers with 37 points while Nirav Sura added 14 points for THEM. The Aardvarks were led by Thomas Hoistad’s 21 points and also received big contributions from Emmanuel Harrison, who pitched in 18 points to the scoring effort.

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Aardvarks

- Limit turnovers: They had 14 turnovers in the previous round and in previous matchup versus THEM

- Defend the arc: THEM are third in the league in three point percentage (36 percent) and made 11 3s the last time these two met

THEM

- Box out and rebound: Aardvarks had 14 offensive rebounds in their last meeting

- Get back on defense: Aardvarks prefer to push the tempo and like to get out on the break

8:15 p.m. - No. 1 Rebels (8-1) vs No. 5 Guerrillas (6-3)

REBELS:

Points per game - 75.4

Points allowed per game - 60.2

Top scorers - Ryan McGuire (20.0), Cody Heinz (18.9), Ryan Jansen (15.4)

The Rebels’ resounding 83-53 victory over the Lightning place them in the semifinals of the Fall 2018 playoffs. The offensive was flowing at an efficient clip as they shot 52 percent from the floor and dished out 18 assists. Defensively, they held their opponent to 40 percent shooting and forced 11 turnovers. Cody Heinz scored 23 points and Ryan Jansen added 21 points to shoulder the scoring load for the team. Carson Heinz contributed 14 points off the bench while shooting 70 percent from the field.

GUERRILLAS:

Points per game - 77.6

Points allowed per game - 66.6

Top scorers - Dajon McKnight (18.9), Chris Maher (16.0), Bryant Marmol (14.3)

The Guerrillas responded the Muskies’ late rally and stepped up in crunch time to secure their place in the semifinals. The Muskies took a one-point lead late in the game, but a Chris Maher 3-pointer put the Guerrillas on top for good in their 65-57 victory. It wasn’t a pretty game offensively for either team -- the Guerrillas shot just 39 percent from the field, but held the opposition to 33 percent shooting. Dajon McKnight led all scorers with 20 points  while Maher added 14 points. Bryant Marmol led the team with 9 rebounds to go with his 11 points.

PREVIOUS MATCHUP: Rebels 91, Guerrillas 77

The Rebels jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in the Week 7 tilt between these two teams. The Rebels were up 43-26 at halftime and were able to maintain that lead throughout the second half. The Rebels were playing with a ton of confidence on the offensive end and went on to shoot 54 percent overall and 55 percent from beyond the arc. The Guerrillas, meanwhile, shot 44 percent from the floor and 38 percent from deep. The Rebels also had a 41 to 27 advantage on the boards. McKnight scored 34 points for the Guerrillas while the trio of Ryan McGuire, Cody Heinz, and Carson Heinz combined for 66 points.

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Rebels

- Off-ball movement and share the rock: Rebels had 19 assists in their previous matchup, many which led to open looks

- Don’t let Guerrillas get hot from deep: Guerrillas average the most 3-point attempts (34.6) in the league and are dangerous when in rhythm

Guerrillas

- Limit Rebels’ OREB: Rebels grabbed 13 offensive rebounds in their previous matchup

- Communicate on defense: Rebels’ perimeter scoring killed the Guerrillas in their last meeting and must be on the same page defensively