CLARK Clark/Willow Lake coach Jerome Nesheim has been to a few state tournaments in his time, but this years Cyclones are different in one major way.
This is one of the youngest Ive ever taken to a state tournament, Nesheim said. The teams we had that won it all or were runner-up were mostly juniors and seniors.
Nesheim is excited to keep working with this years team moving forward, knowing that his young team is not finished players, but he also recognizes that youth comes with inexperience when a game gets to crunch time.
This years Cyclones typical starting lineup features senior guard Griffin Musser, junior forward Emmerson Larson, sophomore guard Chris Bevers, sophomore forward Bo Begeman, and freshman forward Sullivan Felberg. Felberg, Begeman, and Larson are all 6-foot-4 or better, which definitely gives the Cyclones an advantage most evenings in height.
We are pretty tall. Sullivan has grown into all of 6-foot-8 and Bo Begeman is 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7, acknowledged Nesheim. We have some good length.
Four Cyclones average double-figure scoring on the season, led by Felberg (13.9 PPG). Felberg also leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game as well.
Larson (12.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG), Bevers (12.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG), and Begeman (11.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG) each add in double-digit scoring.
While a lot of their statistical highlights may come from their younger players, Nesheim says its the senior and junior in his starting five who set the tone.
Our leadership really comes from our junior Emmerson Larson. He and our senior Griffin Musser (3 PPG, 3.3 RPG) are the guys who do a lot of the dirty work, Nesheim stated. They dont get all the glory all the time, but they do a great job of leading our guys and showing them how hard we have to work in order to win.
On offense, Nesheim explains that Bevers at point guard does a good job of getting guys in their lanes to do a lot of running and get up and down.
Defensively, the Cyclones like to use their size advantage in man-to-man to take away things opponents like to do.
Clark/Willow Lake opened the season winning their first five games, including a victory over defending Class B champion Howard at the Huron Holiday Classic on Dec. 30. Their first loss came to Groton Area, 49-48, on Jan. 10.
Groton is one of four Class A state tourney teams that the Cyclones have faced this year, recording a victory over Lennox while falling to Groton as well as second-seeded Hamlin and top seed Sioux Falls Christian. Beyond defending champion Howard, the Cyclones also faced Castlewood, the top seed in the Class B tournament this weekend.
That experience does allow Nesheim and his team to be prepared for what theyll face moving forward in the tournament.
Im glad we had a chance to compete against those guys, Nesheim reflected. We have a scouting report on a bunch of these teams now. That is a huge benefit for us.
Their first-round matchup with the Rapid City Christian Comets is not one of those familiar opponents, however. Nesheim noted the difference in the teams overall as the Comets lean on strong shooting and senior leadership, but they only have one player, senior Julius Frog, who has much height in their usual rotation.
They were there last year. They can really shoot it, Nesheim scouted. Were going to have to bring our A-game in order to win, but in a state tournament, thats really what you want.
Though young, Nesheim is hoping his squad can bring a strong focus to this years tournament.
I dont want them to just be happy to be there, Nesheim said. We have an opportunity to possibly go to a few tournaments with this group, but we have to be ready to get to work once we get there and hopefully, we can win a couple of games here.
Clark/Willow Lake (18-4) plays in the final game of opening day at the South Dakota Class A Boys Basketball Tournament beginning Thursday at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls as the sixth seed in the tournament. They face third-seeded Rapid City Christian (20-2).
Sioux Falls Christian is 21-1 and the top seed in the tournament. They open tourney play Thursday at noon against Groton Area (17-5). That will be followed by No. 4 West Central, 19-3, and No. 5 Lennox, 19-4, to close the afternoon session. Defending champion and No. 2 Hamlin will bring a 20-2 record into the first game of the evening session at 6 p.m. against Hill City, 19-4.
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