Maple River ends Cyclones’ season 58-53
The Cyclone Boys’ basketball team has shown all season that they’re willing to scratch and claw their way back into a game. Their playoff matchup against the Maple River Eagles on March 5 proved to be another game in which St. Clair fought valiantly throughout. Unfortunately, their season filled with highs and lows came to an end as they could not withstand a final Eagle push and lost 53-58.
The Cyclones had about ten days of rest while the seeding in the section playoff bracket sorted itself out, but Coach Seth Altenhofen kept his players focused both physically and mentally during the break, “Not knowing the seeding right away helped us focus on us during the time off; we focused on what we’ve excelled on all season and just worked on being consistent over the course of a game.
St. Clair and Maple River played each other in one of the first games of the season, and the Eagles soared past them 45-73. But Altenhofen reassured that things were much different this time around. “We didn’t have our center Noah in that game, so it’s interesting to see how this game will differ. We hung with them in that first half but struggled in the second half. We’re completely different teams now, so our opening five or six minutes tonight is going to set the tempo.”
The Cyclones had a successful season as they finished second in the Valley Conference with a 10-4 record and 14-13 overall. The team finished fifth in the Kwik Trip Holiday Tournament and won three out of their last four games to end the regular season. Altenhofen reflected on the season overall. “These guys had a lot of heart all year, and there were games where we’d have a bad first half but storm back like we did against Blue Earth…I’ll always be proud of our guys for that game. Winning some games at the holiday tournament meant a lot to us and the final few games of the season showed how well this team can play when we’re on the same page. It’s been a season of some highs and lows, but we’re focused to keep it going tonight.”
Before the game started, I spoke with Noah Seys-Marshall, one of the key ingredients for the Cyclones’ success this season, and asked how he and his teammates had worked to prepare for this postseason matchup. “We’ve really locked in during our practices and drilled what has been working for us all season. We want this win tonight, and we’re determined to see that through.”
Seys-Marshall made good on his word as he scored the opening bucket for St. Clair as the game was underway. Maple River had a dominant center of their own as the Eagles went on a quick 11-0 run after St. Clair’s first basket–Altenhofen called a timeout to regroup his guys. Coleton Prange nailed a difficult jump shot fading to his left to get some momentum for the Cyclones, and Seys-Marshall pitched in as he backed down the Eagles’ center for another two points. Connor Whittet knocked down a tough shot to bring St. Clair within a puncher’s chance to take the lead, but Maple River kept a tight grip on the lead throughout the contest. Whittet splashed a three-pointer to tie the game with four minutes left in the first half as the St. Clair crowd erupted in cheers.
Prange was able to give the Cyclones a brief lead as he knocked down a free throw, but quickly gave the lead back to the Eagles. Austin Segal made some free throws of his own to tie the game at 24 with two and a half minutes to go, but Maple River went on a brief run of their own to extend their lead to five. However, a clutch three-pointer by Dylan Blount in the half’s final minute cut the deficit to two points. The Cyclones got punched in the mouth to start the half but recovered and battled their way back to a 27-29 deficit at the half.
The second half showcased some stingy defense as both teams struggled to score in the opening minutes, and Maple River found themselves picking up two quick fouls as well. Whittet capitalized on the substitutions by the Eagles and knocked down a three to give the Cyclones a one-point lead. The Eagles continued to harass the Cyclone backcourt as their center imposed his will–even against Seys-Marshall–but Prange hit two back-to-back jumpers to keep St. Clair within striking distance. Segal flashed his athleticism for another highlight on the season as he finished an acrobatic reverse layup that got a roar of applause from the fans.
Maple River continued to be in control of the second half, but St. Clair nipped at their wings all throughout the half; Carter Bilitz splashed a crucial three-pointer in the game’s final minutes, but the Eagles center finished a decisive and-1 that seemed to have shut the door on the season. However, the Cyclones relied on their own center, Seys-Marshall, to bring them back as he netted an and-1 of his own as well as securing a one-handed offensive rebound that led to a Whittet three-pointer and cut the deficit to two points.
With only a minute left in the half and down five, Prange sank two critical free throws to make it a three-point game, but on the team’s next possession, Prange coughed the ball up, and any chance of a heroic comeback for the Cyclones ended. The team fell to its rival 53-58. Whittet scored 19, Prange and Seys-Marshall each had 10.
Despite their willingness to keep fighting, the Cyclones’ season ended as six seniors said their final goodbyes to their teammates and coaches. I spoke briefly with three seniors, Dylan Blount, Austin Segal, and Connor Whittet, about their careers and the impact Coach Altenhofen had on them:
Tell me about your senior year on this team; what did you learn about yourself as a player and a leader?
Segal: “I learned that this game is more than a game–it’s family. It’s been a lot of fun to play with my teammates and the love we shared this season has been great for us.”
Whittet: “I feel like I grew a lot as a member of this team and I had to work on accepting my teammates and once we did that, we got a lot better together as a team.
Blount: “Basketball hasn’t always been my number one sport, but the guys welcomed me on this team and accepted me as one of their own. It’s a different style than I’m used to, but we all put in the work this season and it showed out there on the court.”
Tell me about the impact Coach Altenhofen had on you as a person and player.
Segal: “He helped me grow as a man. I don’t have the best attitude on the court sometimes and he helped me keep my head in check when something wasn’t going our way. He and the other coaches had a great impact on me and I’m going to miss them.”
Whittet: “We initially had butted heads last season, but he was my guy this year. He saw my potential as a player and he was there for me when I needed him. “
Blount: “One of the best coaches I’ve had. He always put me in the best position to succeed on the court and put me at the post because I could rebound so well. I enjoyed playing for him.”
Altenhofen spoke briefly about the loss and highlighted how strong his team played defensively. “I thought we defended really well tonight against a team that can put up a lot of points. To hold them to 58 points means something…we just didn’t shoot it as well as we’re capable of, but overall, it was an incredibly fun high school basketball game.”
He also spoke highly of his seniors, who battled throughout the game and the entire season. “I couldn’t be more proud of this group of seniors; six seniors allowed myself and the staff to coach them throughout the year and they gave everything they had for us on the court in practice and in games. Most importantly, their leadership in showing the younger guys how it’s done in this program…the day-to-day grind, the level of focus and care, and how to treat teammates are what I’ll remember the most about them. They’ll always be Cyclones to me!”
It was an incredibly hard-fought season for this boys’ basketball team at St. Clair. The season may have ended sooner than expected, but their determination to never back down from an opponent gave them a tough defensive identity, and it was a thrill to watch them all year. Thank you, Cyclones!
