Before an early season rematch of last season's Class 2A state title game, Sauk Centre coach Scott Bergman told his team that Saturday's contest with Dover-Eyota was just another game.
"It really wasn't," Bergman said.
With the Mainstreeters (2-0), ranked No. 2 in Class 2A by Minnesota Basketball News, looking to get a little revenge on the reigning champion and No. 8-ranked Eagles (3-2), it was sophomore Maesyn Thiesen who stepped up, scoring 22 points in a 70-68 Sauk Centre victory.
"I think we all thought that we had something to prove," Thiesen said. "We just wanted to show that we could come back (this season) and play well against them."
Much as they did last season (Thiesen scored 23 points in title game), the Mainstreeters relied heavily on Thiesen Saturday night.
"We need her to score points like she did tonight," Bergman said. "She's very good at distributing the ball and that's what she likes to do, but we need her to score, especially in big games like this."
One of the big keys for Sauk Centre, outside of Thiesen's scoring ability, is ball movement. The Mainstreeters start four guards at 5-foot-8 or shorter, so when the lack of height causes problems like it did on Saturday, Sauk Centre gets to passing.
"I think that our team is very unselfish and we want to get each other involved," Thiesen said.
While not sinking the shots herself, Thiesen spreads the ball around to Kelsey Peschel and Jill Klaphake, who on Saturday scored 11 and 14 points, respectively.
All three were part of last season's runner-up team, and none are seniors.
"That experience is definitely going to help us this year," Thiesen said. "Since we played on a bigger stage last year, maybe it'll help us stay calmer and not get so crazy in (big) games."
Dover Eyota senior Madison Nelson (left) and Sauk Centre junior Jill Klaphake (right) after a jump ball whistle. Photo by Trevor Squire
First Report
Maesyn Thiesen scored 22 points Saturday night as Sauk Centre recorded a 70-68 win over Dover-Eyota at the Breakdown Sports USA Tip Off Classic at Hopkins High School.
In a rematch of last year's Class 2A state championship (won by Dover-Eyota), the Mainstreeters (2-0), ranked No. 2 in Class 2A by Minnesota Basketball News, also got 14 points from Jill Klaphake
The No. 8-2A Eagles (3-2) were led by Madison Nelson with a game-high 25 points.
