Three Osmond Tigers receive conference basketball honors
OSMOND — Three Osmond Tigers were recently selected for Lewis & Clark Conference honors. Named to the Clark Division boys’ team were Grayson Schultze, a 5-ft., 9-in. senior, and Ryan Schmit, a 5-ft., 9-in. junior. Zach Huwaldt, a 6-ft., 3-in. senior, received honorable mention.
Here is what Coach Todd Schultze had to say about the selections:
Graysen Schultze — named first team all-conference (second overall vote-getter behind Creighton’s Johnathon Mitchell).
“Graysen was the leader for the Tigers all season long and is welldeserved of this recognition. He led Osmond in four of the major statistical categories: points (20.3), rebounds (7.6), assists (4.9), and steals (3.5). All while doing so, the 5-ft, 9-inch senior converted on a team-high 53% of his attempts, including 42% from behind the arc.
“Graysen was a consistent performer for us this season. I think many people can underestimate just how special he was. Teams knew that he was our best player and geared their scouting reports around him. Frequently, he would catch the ball and see a wall of defenders looking right at him and protecting driving lanes.
“Despite dealing with box and one defenses and face guarding man to man, Graysen created scoring opportunities for himself and the rest of our team. So many people can get fixated on Graysen’s offensive abilities that you forget he is a lockdown defender. He typically draws the responsibility of defending the opposition’s best perimeter player and does so with focus and intensity all game.
“The best part of all, he was as humble of a star player as you will find. When his teammates had big games or made big plays, he let them know how happy he was for them. He has been a three-year starter for the varsity squad and has played a key role in our successes the past three seasons. To be under 6 feet tall and finish your career ranked seventh in points, fifth in assists, and 14th in rebounds is pretty incredible!” Ryan Schmit - first team all-conference
“Ryan’s role and responsibility for the Tigers increased dramatically from last season’s team. He went from being the fifth scoring option on a loaded roster that benefited from plenty of open shot attempts to now be asked to be our second leading scorer and help lead our offensive attack. That was asked of him amongst a summer that, because of COVID-19, allowed little to no basketball training or camps being available.
“Ryan averaged 11 points per game, a three-point jump from his sophomore campaign. Ryan was a three-point threat for the Tigers, converting 32% of his shots from downtown. Most notably for Schmit, a three-pointer that sank in as the buzzer sounded to finish the thrilling comeback and defeat the LCC bears in the conference semifinals! The junior was also a scrappy defender. He played with energy from start to finish on the defensive end and played a big role in helping to defend the perimeter.”
Zachary Huwaldt - all-conference honorable mention
“Zach is a player that took a huge leap from his junior to senior season. His junior year, he played behind then-senior Keaton Timmerman. Huwaldt was able to play the role of the enforcer off the bench in his 6-8 minutes a
“This season, Zach was needed on the court for as many minutes as the Tigers could get him. In his final season, he averaged seven points (shooting 52%), six rebounds, and just over one blocked shot per game! The big fella demonstrated his conditioning and toughness in several games this season, playing 28 minutes or more when the situation him to.
“Zach is a player who has always impacted the game on the defensive end. He’s long been a solid shot blocker and rim protector and over the years developed the discipline to keep his arms straight up and avoid some fouls while still affecting the shooter.
“His offensive game is what impressed me the most. He became much more consistent in converting his shot attempts around the basket and was now a threat to shoot open jumpers and three-pointers. His growth and ability to impact the game was key to Osmond winning some close games this season.”
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