Austin Segal looks for the open man with three Nicollet defenders on him.
The Cyclone Boys had a grueling week of basketball that started off with an inspiring performance against Blue Earth on Monday, February 5. The team entered the contest with a three-game winning streak but understood that Blue Earth would be a tough contest. Coach Seth Altenhofen knew the matchup would be a true test for his players, but the team’s recent success on both ends of the court gave his team a fighting chance. “We’ve really took care of the ball these past few games, and that’s helped us keep our offense going at a fast pace. We know this Blue Earth squad is big and strong, and we’re going to have to play a great game to stand up to these guys.”
The first half for St. Clair was anything but great as the team looked sluggish on both ends of the court, and Blue Earth bullied their way to a 41-18 lead going into the half. Altenhofen took the break to wake his team up, and the Cyclones responded in a big way as they stormed their way back into the game.
The offense led by Austin Ward and seniors Whittet, Seys-Marshall, and Segal seemed to overwhelm Blue Earth at times as St. Clair scored 60 points in the second half. Ward finished with 21 points, Whittet had 19, Seys-Marshall scored 14, and Segal had 12.
Altenhofen remarked the team’s performance as “some of the best basketball I’ve seen them play,” and with three minutes left in the game, the Cyclones were within arms reach of the lead as they trailed the Buccaneers 65-69. Unfortunately, some questionable calls by officials went against St. Clair and sank their chances of completing a miraculous comeback as they fell 78-84.
Despite the loss, the Cyclones showed incredible resilience and heart in overcoming a 23-point deficit in the second half; Altenhofen was frustrated with the late-game result but gave tremendous praise to his players. “We came out of that locker room on a mission in that second half to score 60 points against a good Blue Earth team…I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
Coming off their herculean effort against Blue Earth, the Cyclones faced off against the Loyola Crusaders for the third time this season on February 6. The two schools are familiar with each other as both sides of the stands were full in anticipation for what would be a close matchup. Within the first three minutes of the game, the Cyclones showed their willingness to attack the basket as Segal got the night going with a dribble drive to the basket. The two teams traded baskets throughout the first half, with Seys-Marshall being a key figure on the offensive side. His size and skill helped him command the low post as he went on to score 12 points, and Whittet scored 11. The Crusaders kept pace throughout the first half as St. Clair labored its way to a 26-24 lead after the first half.
The second half started with a series of baskets from both teams that resulted in a 30-30 stalemate. Overall, the game was a low-scoring affair for both sides as it appeared the physical toll of the Blue Earth game caught up with St. Clair; the offense struggled to put up points. Both teams struggled with scoring, and the ball changed possession at a rapid pace. The Cyclones began to waver in the second half, as they were unable to capitalize on many scoring opportunities. St. Clair was losing control of the game’s pace, but some clutch plays by Dylan Blount and Segal kept them in the game as the final minutes ticked down. Despite their best efforts, the Cyclones had nothing left in the tank as the Crusaders clinched the rubber match 46-43.
Altenhofen was disappointed in the loss but gave credit to Loyola’s defense for limiting the team’s offense. “It’s always tough to play a back-to-back, especially after that second half against Blue Earth. This team showed a lot of fight tonight, and we’re excited to get back out and compete on Friday.”
The Cyclones bounced back after two crushing losses with an offensive explosion against the Nicollet Raiders on February 9. St. Clair had high hopes coming into the matchup against a struggling Nicollet team fighting for its first win of the season; Altenhofen spoke on how his team has fought valiantly in the past few games and how tonight could serve as a turning point. “We’ve been competing at a high level these past few games–Blue Earth especially–and it starts with us taking care of the basketball. We need to stay focused tonight and play our game to get a win and get some momentum for us.”
The first half started out on a high note for St. Clair as the two teams traded baskets in the opening minutes; the Cyclones used their fast-paced offense to their advantage as transition points came in droves with several and-1s by Seys-Marshall and Segal. Segal was a menace on the defensive end as he swiped the ball out of the Raiders’ hands and finished with his own and-1. For once, St. Clair imposed their will on the boards as they handled their business in the post and closed off several possessions that ignited their fastbreak offense. Nicollet made a small run to end the second half, but the Cyclones led 42-23 going into the half.
The second half of the game was a lopsided affair for St. Clair as they bullied Nicollet on both ends of the court; the Cyclones outscored the Raiders 33-17. St. Clair started to pull away from Nicollet as Segal took great pride in running the offense on the fast break as he flipped a behind-the-back pass for a bucket and fooled one defender into leaving him open for a corner three. Whittet scored 17 points as he drove past defenders to the basket or dumped off the ball to Seys-Marshall inside–scored 14 points.
As the lead grew, the team shared the offensive wealth as reserves played out the final few minutes and performed well; Kadon Springer attempted to end the game with a rim-rattling dunk in the final seconds, but it bounced out as time expired. The final score was 75-40.
It had been a challenging week for the Cyclones, but the victory over Nicollet was a step in the right direction. Coach Altenhofen was thrilled with the team’s performance, especially on the defensive end. “We continue to take a lot of pride on the defensive end, and we’re starting to really share the ball on offense. It’s nice to get a win after a couple of tough ones for our guys, but it’s important we stay consistent with this level of play as we enter the final stretch of the season.”
As the Cyclones enter the final stretches of the regular season, they cling to third place in the Valley Conference standings with an 8-3 record (11-10 overall). They’ll enter another grueling three-game schedule as they face off against powerhouse Lake Crystal on February 12, Madelia on February 15 and Le Sueur-Henderson on February 16.
