Sports

Jacks falter against tough MonDak foes

By Tyler Ohmann

02/14/2012

Two more MonDak losses extended the Dakota College at Bottineau men’s basketball team’s losing streak to 10 games this past week.

The Jacks were unable to upset either Williston State or Bismarck State in two road games as the Tetons downed the Jacks 98-79 and the Mystics fettered the Jacks efforts in a 95-68 game.

In Monday’s game against the Tetons the Jacks fell into a 13-point hole at halftime and were unable to bring it back as the Tetons shot 52 percent from the field and 47 percent from beyond the arc.

The Jacks shot 43 percent from the field and 35 percent from three, as Head Coach Ken Keysor said the offense was unable to get jump-started.

“We didn’t ever seem to get anything going offensively.  It was a struggle to score and on every possession it was a tug of war,” Keysor stated. “We aren’t a physical team so when the game becomes a scrum we aren’t very effective.”

Colt Mavity was able to score a season-high 19 points and grab a team-high five boards in the losing effort, but the lack of physicality and size appeared to be an issue for the Jacks according to Keysor.

“The last two games have been that case. We are more of a finesse team and when we aren’t allowed to flow in rhythm we struggle,” Keysor stated. “Tonight was one of those cases where their size with two six-foot-seven and six-foot-eight players played well above the rim and they seemed to be a step quicker tonight.”

Cameron Malzer was the only other Jack in double digits as he finished with 10 points.

Keysor hopes the Jacks can turn a corner soon.

“My feeling is that some of our players have hit ‘the wall’ in the long season. I know this sounds somewhat odd, but we need to catch our second wind like a good distance runner,” Keysor stated. “We still have six games before the regions begin so our hope is that we will get our legs back. Right now we need to get right both mentally and physically.”

The Jacks hoped to do just that on Thursday in Bismarck. However, the game was more in control by the Mystics who vaulted to a 95-68 win.

The Mystics had a 14-point lead by halftime and cruised to a 27-point victory as the Jacks shot just 3-of-18 from three point land.

“We look tired. I’m not sure if the long season is beginning to take its toll on our legs or if the losing streak is starting to wear on all of us mentally and physically,” Keysor stated about the loss.

Again the Jacks were out-dueled from the three-point line as the Mystics hit 17-of-42 three pointers in the win.

“One of our concepts in our zone is to contest the three. With the previous statement made as I’m watching the video right now we actually had a hand in their face and they just hit the shot,” Keysor stated. “It doesn’t make us feel any better, however at least we know the shots were contested for the most part.”

Despite the loss sophomore Jeremy Chambers had an excellent night on the court dropping 29 points on the Mystics. Freshman Jayden McMillin also contributed with 11 points and seven boards. Mavity was again effective with seven points and six boards.

Keysor reflected that the score was not the entire story of the game.

“The ending score was more lopsided than the game really was, every time we would get the lead in single digits BSC would down a couple of threes,” Keysor stated.

The Jacks get a week of rest before their next contest at 8 p.m., Thursday night against United Tribes.

DCB will close out the rest of the regular season at the Woodshed as they will also host 8 p.m. games against Lake Region State on Monday, Feb. 20 and Williston State on Thursday, Feb. 23.