Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Cruz Sends Game to OT and Jacks Win : Vasquez School Record 53 points

 
"No Place Like Home"
 
WE are beginning to reach the finale of the 2013-2014 season, and it seems as though our TEAM has begun to make it's mark at Dakota College. There is no doubt "The Woodshed" was the loudest, craziest, most exciting gym WE have competed in at this point and I find it hard to believe many facilities compare to the unique environment available at DCB. In front of a crowded gym the #14 in the nation Lumberjack basketball TEAM improved to 21-4 as WE withstood adversity to get an Overtime win 115-112 against Lake Region State College. There were many twists and turns as the game came down to the final seconds in regulation as well as Overtime.
 
Our TEAM appeared to have control in the first half with a 13-point lead early in the game. As the first half came to a close it was Lake Region who seized the momentum closing the gap to 49-45 game going into the locker rooms. The second half would provide much of the same style of play as the Lumberjacks would hold the Royals off until the final 2 minutes. Lake Region took the lead with just over a minute to play and the fun began. With 5 seconds to go, and the score being 94-93 an "intentional foul" was called on our TEAM allowing the Royals to receive two free throws plus the ball. At this moment losing seemed inevitable, but right when hope was lost "The Woodshed" met the challenge with a hostile charge. Noise grew louder, intensity peaked, and luckily enough the shooter would miss not just one free throw, but two. WE appeared to steal the inbound but of course a whistle was blown (Lake Region shot 53 Free Throws to our 27 attempts). The shooter would make both giving our TEAM 3.6 seconds to go the length of the floor with no time-outs.
 
Big time players make big time shot in big time games. Xavier Cruz caught the ball on the run down the sideline and would pull-up from 30 feet away as time expired. All anyone heard in the town of Bottineau was the ball striking the bottom of the net which simply meant, 5 more minutes of basketball in Overtime. Throughout Overtime our TEAM would control the lead, but it was a defensive struggles as both teams seemed unstoppable. Eventually the same situation would occur, but this time WE had a 3-point lead with just over 3 seconds to play. Lake Region shot a pull-up 3 as time expired, but thankfully was unsuccessful. Much is to be made of resiliency YOUR Lumberjacks showed facing adversity with a big chest, chin-up, and never quitting on the game.
 
 
Highlights:
 
JULIAN VASQUEZ - Played one of the most phenomenal games any coach or crowd could ask for scoring 53 points in just 37 minutes. He scored when he wanted and where he wanted throughout the entire game. When it was all said and done Vasquez went 18-28 from the field (7-11 3FG & 10/11 FT). Vasquez also made his presence known on the glass with 11 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists.
 
Xavier Cruz - 15 points, 9 assists
Cruz sped the game up for good and bad at times. As the season goes on he is learning from mistakes while changing the game nightly. Most importantly there would not be an OT without Cruz coming through in the clutch. He is a bold player who moves on to the next play with a short-term memory.
 
It was a complete TEAM effort as each and every player impacted the game. The best aspect of our TEAM is the fact players do not even have to touch the floor to contribute.
 
Next Up:
 
The Lumberjacks return to action at "The Woodshed" next Monday to face Bismarck State. WE appreciate the support and hope the crowd continues to grow. Thank you to all of those who made a difference last night.
 
Get Jacked UP,
 
Cory Fehringer

 
 
 


Saturday, January 25, 2014

Jacks Fall Short at NDSCS: Drop to 20-4

Road games are used as a thermometer often times in college basketball for many reason both positive, and negative. On one side a TEAM with the ability to go on the road and come home with big wins is commonly considered to be "tough" as they stay hot. Taking perspective from a different angle would be a good TEAM who has difficulty finding a way to win on the opposing team's home floor is considered to be "in trouble" because they seem to go cold. At this point in the season WE would be classified through the latter's view dropping two conference games on the road. Although both sides of the argument contain much truth in theory WE must always remember to keep perspective. Williston State and NDSCS are the two longest travels in conference play and quite possibly the two top teams of the conference. I feel very good about the fact both games are in the rear-view mirror as WE look forward to playing in "The Woodshed" on Monday evening against Lake Region State College.

On Thursday evening WE traveled to North Dakota State College of Science (19-2) to compete. WE began the game with cold shooting, poor transition defense, and allowed NDSCS to be much more physical rebounding the ball. Early NDSCS stretched to an 18-point lead but the cold shooting and poor transition defense would come to an end. Midway through the second half our Lumberjacks made a push and closed the gap to a 2-point lead with 6 minutes to play. From that point on NDSCS would stay just out of our grasp as we failed to take the lead, eventually falling to a 9-point loss. Very similar to Williston State WE are 3-4 plays away from coming up with a victory instead of a loss. A loose ball here, made layup there, an extra rebound here and the outcome is likely to be different.

Highlights:

Julian Vasquez - 23 points, 6 rebounds
Jalyn Turner - 14 points
Patrick Robinson - 12 points, 4 rebounds

Moving On:
One statistic which might be appealing the supporters of the Lumberjack Program is the fact all 4 losses are to NJCAA D1 opponents who have a combined record of 74-11. It appears to me WE are taking care of business when expected and giving our best shot to teams who are well above average.

As earlier mentioned, the Lumberjacks will be taking on the Lake Region Royals on Monday evening at 8pm following the Ladyjacks game.

WE look forward to a packed house and the loudest gym in the Mon-Dak!

Get Jacked UP,

Cory Fehringer



Tuesday, January 21, 2014

International Affair: Jacks Bounce Back from Loss to Win at CMU

Regardless of what team you are on or sport you play more than likely a few losses will occur. At this point our Lumberjack TEAM has been fortunate to play at a high level through majority of the competitions thus far. Last week WE took a loss on the road at Williston State College who is 19-4, and leading the conference. The final score was 110-94 with the WSC putting together more plays down the stretch. It was a fast paced game with much electricity in the gym as the Tetons separated from the pack with 3 minutes to play in a 6-point game. Luckily for us there are more games on the schedule and it didn't take long to get back in action. Great teams do not drop back to back games even when they travel on the road back to back games.

Last night our TEAM traveled to Winnipeg to take on Canadian Mennonite University. In the first match-up the score 122-72 as the Jacks performed well in front of the home crowd. Monday night would be different along with the rules and location. Playing in Canada brings about a 24 second shot clock, less fouls being called, and several other obstacles which forces teams from the states to alter strategy. CMU would go on to play a tremendous game by competing their tails off, shooting the ball extremely well, and according to their coach "playing the best basketball of the year". There were many twists, turns, and unorthodox plays including a half court bank shot made by CMU with the clock winding down. Our TEAM would prove to be resilient with a 95-91 win to move to 20-3 on the year.

Many individuals are attracted to sports because of the constant development of exciting stories. Although this one may not reach the maximum climax for most, it was an exciting night for Patrick Robinson a native of Canada who led the way with 16 points in just 17 minutes. Robinson connected on 3 baskets from behind the line as well as grabbing several offensive rebounds. He was the spark the TEAM needed and delivered at the right time. Once again WE had a different player take the spotlight as WE continue to be a group of players who have the ability to share the basketball based upon who is playing well.

Additional Highlights:

Gilberto Shojgreen - 14 points, 9 rebounds
Jalyn Turner - 15 points, 6 rebounds


Next Up:

On Thursday the Jacks are on the road again to take on another strong team in the Mon-Dak Conference. North Dakota State College of Science is 19-2 at the moment as WE are both tied for 2nd place in the conference with 2-1 marks at this point. It will be a battle of the boards as NDSCS is a physical team with a strong interior game to go along with an athletic committee of perimeter players. The next two days WE will prepare to perform at the highest level as "NOW" is the time to begin playing the best basketball of the year.

Thank you for continuing to follow and keep supporting your Jack Boyz!

Get Jacked UP,

Cory Fehringer

Monday, January 13, 2014

Jacks Move to 19-2 (2-0 Conference): It's a Process

"One Game at a Time"
Took a game off from keeping followers up to speed on the Lumberjack TEAM. Conference play has began, students are beginning classes, and much work to be done. The TEAM has played well for several months now, but with games getting difficult WE will have nights where execution isn't as sharp as one would hope. Tonight's game against UTTC was a perfect example! Our TEAM did not have the intensity to compete possession after possession, plays were ran incorrectly, and fundamentally WE were sloppy. As a coach it is easy to evaluate the play as below average which can only mean as a coach I did not have the TEAM prepared to play our best basketball. When the dust settled WE were fortunate to stay undefeated at home with an 90-82 win.

UTTC is a well coach team that plays a different style as they attempt to slow the game down. Their strategy was successful taking a 45-41 lead at the half as the game played into a slow pace. In the second half WE were able to create turnovers out of traps, play downhill both sides of the ball, and outscore UTTC 49-37 in the second half to get a victory. Overall the film will tell the tale of individuals who played a game concerned of individual statistics and lack of defensive prowess. A win is a win, but the locker room was not full of much cheer following this contest. I have faith, trust, and believe WE have the right players to rebound from a poor performance to compete at Williston State on Thursday evening.

Highlights:

Xavier Cruz - 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Jalyn Turner - 15 points, 8 rebounds
Julian Vasquez - 14 points, 9 rebounds

PREVIOUSLY

Last Thursday WE went on the road to compete at Bismarck State and came home with a huge conference road win 102-94. The TEAM played great basketball throughout the entire game by sharing the ball, executing actions, and worked at an uncommon level. The 1st half WE looked to push a double digit lead into half, but BSC closed out the final 5 minutes with a solid run to close the gap at 48-41. During the second half our TEAM extended the lead to 18 points as we appeared to be running away. Of course that was not the case as BSC climbed back into the game with perimeter shooting and attacking the rim to shoot 35 free throws while completing 29 successfully.

Although many players performed well vs BSC it was Julian Vasquez who stole the show by scoring 40 points with 26 of those coming in the second half. Vasquez was extremely hard to guard mixing up scoring opportunities from the block, mid-range, and knocking down 5 three pointers. He also gathered 8 rebounds along the way to help lead the TEAM to an important win.

Highlights:

Julian Vasquez - 40 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
Jalyn Turner - 21 points, 3 rebounds
Gilberto Shojgreen - 10 points, 6 rebounds

Next Up

Thursday WE travel to Williston State to take on the Tetons who are having another successful year. Tonight was far from our greatest performance, but there are days when young players just don't quite have the right stuff. Most importantly WE must get back in the gym and continue to work on weaknesses. Whether we win or lose it is vital to remember any TEAM's main priority should be to play their greatest basketball in the month ahead.

Thank you for the support tonight. The Woodshed is always a great environment!

Get Jacked UP,

Cory Fehringer

Monday, January 6, 2014

Jacks Grab Two on the Road: Now 17-2

Our Lumberjack basketball TEAM has been away from Dakota College and the court for quite some time. Over the weekend WE competed at Northland Community Technical College in Thief River Falls, MN. It was clear our players enjoyed holiday meals, and time away from the gym as execution of fundamentals was not evident very often. This is common for many teams to begin the new year due to the fact daily practice, daily workouts, and daily routines are broken for over 14 days when they return home for Christmas Break.

Although WE did not play our best basketball by far, WE did play well enough to win both games by double digit scores. A long with the lack of practice time several players were in and out of the lineup over the weekend with colds, or even flu symptoms. If there is a positive to be seen from Christmas Break it would be the random occurrences of unforeseen issues, and the ability of the TEAM to continue to play through adversity. Only time will allow this TEAM to return back to true form in the shape of discipline, work ethic, and desire to compete on every possession.

GAME 1 vs Northland Community and Technical College (W 72-60)

Offense was not the sharpest as you can tell by the 72 points which is the 2nd lowest total for our TEAM this season. Gladly it was not the fact we couldn't make baskets because we shot 55.4% from the field but rather the problem we had taking care of the ball with 28 turnovers. There were several reasons to be displeased with the overall execution throughout the game, but WE also held NCTC to just 60 points. Regardless of some of the miscues passing or catching the basketball WE played strong TEAM defense, and rebounded the ball with much physicality.

Highlights:
Jalyn Turner - 29 points (12-18 from the field) and 4 rebounds. Turner was tremendous throughout the entire game playing 35 minutes. It was good to see Turner breakout as his offensive game is blossoming game by game, but WE also count on him every night to defend the primary ball handler.

Julian Vasquez - 18 points (8-13 from the field) and 4 rebounds. Vasquez played this weekend under the weather with the flu. He was not quite the same player but managed to be extremely efficient offensively.

Patrick Robinson - 14 points (6-10 from the field). Robinson is possibly our most electric player because of his speed, athleticism, and ability to shoot the ball. He has earned more and more minute throughout the season, and we don't expect that to change.

GAME 2 vs Rainy River (W 99-73)

Our second game of the Classic was a complete 180 from playing NCTC. WE looked to have enthusiasm for the game again as execution, focus, and intensity appeared to return. The TEAM seemed to enjoy the entire game as multiple people made big shots or big plays. WE took much better care of the ball with 15 turnovers (still too many), defended together holding Rainy to 31% from the field, and played with confidence offensively scoring on 59% of our attempts. Of course the game was far from perfect, but the individual and collective effort was something we have come to expect.

Highlights:
Julian Vasquez - 19 points and 8 rebounds. Did a great job of getting easy baskets around the rim through transition or posting up the defender on the block. Any time he can get a rebound and go Vasquez puts a lot of pressure on the defense.

Wesley Harrison - 12 points and 6 rebounds. Harrison is doing a great job of making second effort plays around the rim. He is extremely athletic with a motor that keeps going strong.

Billy Engel - 10 points and 7 rebounds (2/2 from the 3FG). The sophomore PG showed why he has been the captain of the TEAM by playing at a great pace all weekend. Engel brings poise to this TEAM during moments of chaos.

NEXT UP

Conference play begins this week as WE travel to Bismarck State for a much anticipated meeting. They have a good group of players with a new coach who has BSC playing a different style than last year. WE look forward to opening up Conference play as games now carry much more weight.

Game tips off on January 9th at 8p in Bismarck. Game will be livestreamed through BSC athletic website.

It is good to be home.

Get Jacked UP,

Cory Fehringer