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

 

 

 



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

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

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

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

Jacks "Close Out" Final Week: Grateful

A new year is quickly coming upon us as the 1st semester of college begins to wrap up. Our student-athletes are learning to manage time between high expectations on the court, as well as the demands of passing classes with above average grades. There is a unique level of stress which can not be put into words by each individual, but simply internalized as we all cope with these pressures differently. With that being said I would like to express my level of gratitude for this year's Lumberjack TEAM.

I would be a liar if I said the plan was to go 15-2 to begin the season leading to the accomplishment of becoming ranked #17 in the nation. This ranking means absolutely nothing as it pertains to our overall objective, but it is a vote of confidence for the student-athletes who have traveled a long way from home to attend Dakota College in a small town called Bottineau. It would be a 50/50 coin toss if we went down the line and asked each player to spell "Bottineau". WE chose to embark on this journey TOGETHER, and we are a long ways away from the finish line but these young men are quickly growing to become bigger than a basketball TEAM. Each and every day these players pleasantly surprise me through their unselfish play, knack for cracking personal jokes without taking it personal, ability to deal with confrontation, and lastly the fact no player believes they are more important than the TEAM. For these reason I am very grateful to be at Dakota College and thankful to have the opportunity to coach these Jack Boyz.

We are a long ways away from the finish line and much work is to be done, but going into break this TEAM has taken care of business at the right times. This past week the TEAM went 2-0 by defeating Turtle Mountain Community College 111-71 and Jamestown College JV 88-56. Just like every other game of the year it was a TEAM effort with different players having standout performances. Freshman Jalyn Turner lead the way vs. TMCC with 18 points, Sophomore transfer Jake Arck had his best game of the year with 14 and Billy Engel tallied 13 points. Going into the Jamestown game we were certain somebody would emerge as the spark, and Freshman Wesley Harrison came to play with 18 points establishing his new career high to go with 6 rebounds. There were several great TEAM plays made throughout the game, and most importantly we head into break with a win.

The Lumberjacks are off until January 3rd when we travel to Northland Technical and Community College to play two games. Our Coaching Staff will be hitting the road to focus primarily on next year's recruiting class. Have a great holiday, travel safe, and stay grateful.

Thank you for the support!

Get Jacked UP,

Cory Fehringer

Jacks 13-2: Take Two at Bismarck Classic

The end of the first semester can be rather difficult at times in a college basketball season. Freshman have played more games in a short span than ever before, road trips have begun to lose their luster, academics create stress due to eligibility concerns for many programs, and of course the common cold is catching up with everyone including coaches. As if those issues were not enough the TEAM bus froze up over night and created havoc among game day routines, travel plans, and delayed arrival back to home! Both teams handled the mishap in stride and arrived safely 5 hours behind scheduled time.

Although WE would like to be playing the best TEAM basketball up to this point it might be best to simply be grateful for wins and stay healthy going into break. Over the weekend the Lumberjack TEAM competed in a two-day classic at Bismarck State College. Fortunately WE came home with two wins and no injuries. As always this group played very well in stretches but also found ourselves struggling to be consistent at times along the way. Good news is players made the right plays at the right time as we pulled together when necessary.

GAME 1: Jamestown College JV - 86-62 (W)
The first 15 minutes of the game our TEAM executed offensive strategies shooting 67% from the field and defensive philosophy extremely well holding the Jimmies to 32% as WE took a 40-11 lead. At half-time the score was 49-25 with several players performing well but none more exciting than Freshman Patrick Robinson who was 3/3 from the arc in 5 minutes of play. He continues to be a source of electricity with a  canny ability to score several points in a short amount of time. Julian Vasquez also tallied in 11 points during the first 20 minute session.

The second half would prove to be more interesting as the two teams played a dead lock game both scoring 37 points in the second half. Offensively WE put the breaks on so to speak and defensively WE began to get somewhat loose in our execution. When it was all said and done 4 players found themselves with double digit scoring during a balanced attack. Freshman Gilberto Shojgreen and Vasquez led with 13 a piece, followed Robinson finishing with 12 and rounded out by Freshman Justin Musgrave who totaled in 10 points.


GAME 2: Minot Air Force Base - 99-88 (W)

I have said it before and will say it again, the second day of any classic provides an opportunity for anything to happen. MAFB is older, bigger, and stronger than our TEAM as well as play for the "fun" of the game. They can be a difficult opponent no matter the day, but it appeared on Saturday afternoon WE would drop a game to MAFB. The score at half was 53-47 in favor of the Lumberjacks while literally no defense was being played. WE shot 55% from the field and MAFB shot 54% as it appeared both teams were playing 5 on 0.

In the second half there was room for concern as MAFB would take an 8 point lead with nearly 10 minutes left in the game. Eventually the TEAM would return to form by way of defensive stands followed with transition offense. The final 10 minutes of the game our Jack Boys would outscore MAFB by 19 to finish with an 11 point victory. Gilberto Shojgreen was very impressive posting his 1st college double-double with 18 points (majority dunks) and 11 rebounds. Julian Vasquez possibly played his best basketball in the second half with 25 points and 8 rebounds. Freshman Jalyn Turner supplied 16 points in the win as he has found more rhythm in the offense. Most importantly the TEAM had 22 assists to only 11 turnovers which is the best ration of the year.

COMING UP:
 The Lumberjacks return to action tomorrow night as WE travel to Turtle Mountain CC. Tip-off is set for 8pm following the Ladyjacks game.

Thank you for the continued support!

Get Jacked UP,

Cory Fehringer