Rebels Win Home Opener 74-34

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Dec 20, 2011

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

WILLOW RIVER- Taylor Mattison who was speculated to be out of action until the first of the year made his first start since doctors gave him the ok to play last week. With Mattison back on the floor the Rebels looked and played like a poised team with a lot of confidence as the Rebels knocked off the Wrenshall Wrens in this Polar League contest 74-34 Tuesday night.

The Rebels came out on fire as they opened the game with a 25-3 lead and never looked back, winning this Polar League contest at home. The Rebels, playing their first home game of the season took advantage of the crowd’s excitement as the Rebels win by 40 points and the crowd was electrified by two dunks from Jake Disterhaupt.

“We played very well tonight” Head Coach Neil Dickinson told Northland Sports Online. “We were sort of still in football mode and it’s been hard to get into basketball mode but the kids are getting there.” Dickinson added “the Floodwood game showed us we needed to work on things and we seemed to have gotten a lot of things worked out.”

The Rebels had three players in double figures on Tuesday night including Tony Adamczak who finished with a game high 16 points. Adamczak also connected on two 3-pointers for the Rebels. The Rebels hit six 3-pointers as a team in the victory. Caleb Koecher, who connected on one long range bomb also finished with 13 points and Disterhaupt chipped in 15 on the night.

Koecher, who wasn’t the games leading scorer was just happy to have Mattison back on the floor as he told NSO, “we have been playing together for so long it was great to be back out there with him.” Koecher added “we know each other so well we know what the other is going to do on the floor and we have a game within a game between us two.”

The Rebels who improve to 3-2 on the season seemed to be clicking on all cylinders, but head coach Dickinson added “it’s not how many games you win now, it’s about how many you win in March.” The Wrens were led by Derek Duncan who finished with 14 points in the loss as Wrenshall falls to 0-6.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com