Vikes have a time against Tigers and Eagles

WAUSA — Just because the Wausa boys basketball team had a rough week and dropped back-to-back games against Osmond and Lutheran High Northeast, don’t mistake that for a crisis.

Wausa is still 7-4 overall after losing to Osmond, 55-44, and state-rated Lutheran High Northeast, 38-16.

Addison Smith (14 points) and Jaxon Claussen (12 points) paced the Vikings in the Osmond defeat.

“We played great defense against Lutheran but had too many turnovers and couldn’t get buckets,” Wausa head coach Tim Schindler said. “Turnovers and defensive rebounding need to be better.

“Our biggest strength is believing in team. Guys on the bench are active and cheer. Also hustling is our greatest strength.”

The team played Santee Monday, head to Randolph on Friday and battle Elkhorn Valley Tuesday.

Senior Brandon Kristensen said that despite the two losses this last week, the team is still looking up.

“They were hard losses definitely,” he said. “Lutheran High Northeast was 8-1 and a couple classes above us. It was one of those games, you are hoping to keep it close. We couldn’t get any shots to fall. It was pretty sad to be honest.

“We were taking good shots. They would magically find that orange circle and then just bounce all around. I don’t know what was up with that. It was just one of those nights. It was kind of rough.”

Kristensen said the team came back the next day and “couldn’t recognize each other,” when the Vikings took the court again.

“It was not the same team it was the night before and the couple of games before that,” Kristensen said. “I don’t know if it’s coming back from school the whole week. I don’t think it’s tough to figure out.

“It’s just a couple of rough games and we just need to get back to practice. We haven’t really had time to practice in the gym again and work like how we work.”

Kristensen said the area the team needs to address is its team defensive performance.

“That was lacking the last few games,” he said. “It was a bunch of little things. If we were making shots it might not have mattered. Little things add up in the game of basketball. I am still optimistic and we will bounce back.”

Osmond 8 16 17 14 — 55

Wausa 6 11 17 10 — 44

SCORING Wausa – Addison Smith, 14; Jaxon Claussen, 12; Jon Nissen, 8; Josh Wattier, 4; Cashe Carlson, 3; Brandon Kristensen, 2; Devin Rosberg, 1. Osmond – Ryan Schmit, 19; Zach Reikofski, 12; Bryan Solorzano, 11; Stevin Hasler, 10; Xander Brown, 3.

REBOUNDS Osmond – Ryan Schmit, 8; Stevin Hasler, 7; Xander Brown, 6; Zach Reikofski, 5; Bryan Solorzano, 4; Caden Wingert, 3.

ASSISTS Osmond – Ryan Schmit, 5; Stevin Hasler, 4; Zach Reikofski, 2.

STEALS Osmond – Ryan Schmit, 2; Zach Reikofski, 1.