Nate’s Game Notes: Kimball @ Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted
HOWARD LAKE– Prep Girls Hoops was at HLWW for their Central Minnesota Conference matchup with the Kimball Cubs, who are in development mode coming in at 2-22. The Lakers were able to hold off the Cubs and get a 50-38…
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Continue ReadingHOWARD LAKE– Prep Girls Hoops was at HLWW for their Central Minnesota Conference matchup with the Kimball Cubs, who are in development mode coming in at 2-22. The Lakers were able to hold off the Cubs and get a 50-38 win to get back to their winning ways after a 5 game losing streak. Here’s what Nate Wahl gathered from a cold night at HLWW.
KEYS TO THE GAME
- Early on, Kimball played at their own pace and got HWLL into foul trouble with a differential of 8-1 midway through the first half. However, the key play of freshman Ivy Fasching (2023) off the bench for the Lakers paid some good dividends tonight. She showed off her range with knocking down multiple three-pointers in the first half to give HLWW enough of a lead to roll into half time.
- We also saw only in the first half, Alexa Schumann Alexa Schumann 5'10" | PF HLWW | 2020 State MN (#86, 2020) struggle with turnovers in the low post by not being able to get full control of the basketball when her teammates would get her the ball down low. She redeemed herself in the second half, but this was a contributor to the Cubs keeping the game close.
- Kimball couldn’t keep up with the rebounding of HLWW. Alexa Schumann Alexa Schumann 5'10" | PF HLWW | 2020 State MN was great at getting after the boards, but 5’6 guard Abby Niesen (2021) was very active on the boards too last night in Howard Lake gathering 9 rebounds (unofficial).
A FEW TAKEAWAYS
Kimball Needs Time to Develop
The Cubs dropped their 23rd loss of the year, but you can see they are developing for the future. They had a great game from senior leader Cailyn Kuechle who had the hot hand from outside and finished with 21 points. Cailyn had the hot game tonight, but her little sister Ellie Kuechle (2023) I think is already well past her sister’s level of development as the leading scorer for the Cubs. Other young players such as Olivia Mortenson (2023)-3rd in scoring for the Cubs, Eva Schwenzfeier (2025)-got a few minutes tonight, played a consistent hand in your face on defense, Madelyn Hunt (2022), Hallie Arnold and the youngest of the Kuechles, Brookelyn Kuechle (2024) all show you the future that this Kimball Cubs program has in the works to be a good program in 2-3 years in the Central Minnesota Conference.
Finding the Next One Up
With the top scorer, CJ Decker graduating, freshman Ivy Fasching (2023) may be the next point guard you’ll see starting next year in Howard Lake. She’s had four games over 10 points and one of her biggest games was 13 points, against the top of the CMC and very senior-heavy, the Royalton Royals. She showed a good looking long stroke when HLWW needed a spark in the first half.
Schumann Bounced Back
The second half is really when we saw exactly why Alexa Schumann Alexa Schumann 5'10" | PF HLWW | 2020 State MN is in our class of 2020 rankings. The 86th ranked player stood out and got to work inside from great give and go from senior guard CJ Decker (2020, Mayville State (ND) commit), who hit Alexa Schumann Alexa Schumann 5'10" | PF HLWW | 2020 State MN and just the right time while she was cutting to the basket. We chatted with her after the game in which she said “we came out and just played, and it feels really good to win that game,” Schumann told Prep Girls Hoops Minnesota. As for section play coming up, Schumann’s team goal is to “host a section game for the first time in six years and win in the first round as she stated, “we want this year to be our year.”
As for college, she told us she will be attending Minnesota State-Mankato but unfortunately, will not be playing basketball but will have school as her full focus!
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (14-11) will play again Friday against Breck of the IMAC Conference who is 10-14 on the year.
Kimball (2-23) will face CMC top dog, the Royalton Royals (20-4) on Thursday night in Royalton. They will need to rebound much better than they did last night, as the Royals have 6’2 Jenna Anderson Jenna Anderson 6'3" | C Royalton | 2020 State MN , who is one of the top rebounders I have watched this season. Anderson has committed to Bemidji State next year with others from the Class of 2020 rankings from PGH Minnesota; Proctor’s Sam Pogatchnik Sam Pogatchnik 5'9" | CG Proctor | 2020 State MN and Cambridge-Isanti’s Amme Sheforgen Amme Sheforgen 5'9" | CG Cambridge-Isanti | 2020 State MN and Jana Swanson Jana Swanson 6'0" | PF Cambridge-Isanti | 2020 State MN .