Waseca boys off to 2-0 start

The Waseca High School boys' basketball team sailed to an easy victory Friday night in its season opener, defeating United South Central 77-44 at Wells. 

“We really played hard,” Waseca coach Seth Anderson said. “I think that was a major reason for our success.”

The Bluejays put the game away in the first half, jumping to a 41-18 lead at the intermission.

Damarius Russell and Carson Ohnstad alone outscored the Rebels, combining for 46 points on impressive 17-for-27 shooting. Russell shot 50% from 2-point range and was on fire from 3-point range, sinking six from the distance. Ohnstad shot just as well, with all of his 18 points coming from 3-pointers. 

“Damarius and Carson really shot the ball incredibly well from three-point land,” said Anderson. “Making 15 three-point shots in a game is an incredible shooting night for our team. It was clearly Damarius and Carson's night.”

The only thing coach Anderson said the team could do better is foul less and pass better.

“I really like how much we scrapped, won loose, balls and rebounds,” Anderson said. “We had 10 guys rotating in and out and they all contributed something to help the team. We do have lots of guys who can get hot on a given night shooting the ball.”

Anderson also said Tyson Reger played an all around great game. 

Individually for the Bluejays: Damarius Russell 28 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block; Ohnstad 18 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist; Reger 11 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block; Addison Sampson 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Noah Thompson 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Zach Hulsher 4 points, 4 rebounds; Deron Russell 2 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal; Laird Keeton 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Jacob Thompson 4 rebounds, 4 assists; Andrew Robran 4 rebounds, 2 steals.

If the Bluejays’ first game wasn’t enough indication of their offensive potential, namely their effectiveness from behind the arc, an 85-28 blowout win over Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Tuesday in Waseca should do it. 

Russell and Ohnstad were hot from three-point land again, with Reger getting his turn to lead. 

Again, the game was over at halftime. The Jays led 43-11. This allowed Anderson to rotate his bench, getting new players experience as the group figures out who will round out their starting five and rotation players. 

“We have a really young team with a lot of guys playing varsity minutes for the first time, but we do have a lot of guys who understand how to play hard and to lead by example,” said Anderson. “We have a great balance of guys who can play right now. I wouldn't say we have a top five players by any means, because we have had 10 guys rotating in and out who have all had some really good moments so far early in the season. The starting five, or more importantly the five who end the game, will be constantly jockeying for position and whoever is playing the best that particular night will be in at the end.”

Anderson praised the play of Ohnstad who, like Damarius Russell, is a sophomore.

“Carson has obviously played really well,” said Anderson. “He's scored in double figures the last two times out, shot the ball well, and really has become much improved defensively. We do feel like we have a lot of guys who are capable of playing minutes for us on the varsity, and there are other guys who are knocking on the door and might deserve playing time at some point, but in basketball you can only play so many players. Playing 10 guys like we are right now in the regular rotation is certainly the most we have ever played during a season.”

The Bluejays travel to Fairmont Friday, Dec. 9, and are at NRHEG in New Richland Tuesday Dec. 12. On Dec. 16 the Bluejays host Jackson County Central.