Back to back – boys basketball is headed to state again
Owatonna celebrates their section championship after defeating Farmington on Friday night.
March 19, 2022
On Friday, March 18 the Owatonna boys basketball team became back to back section 1AAAA champions and punched their ticket to make another run at an MSHSL State Championship.
After a hard fought 36 minutes the Huskies came out on top, despite some things not going their way. Owatonna’s star senior forward Evan Dushek fouled out during the second half, but the Huskies kept composure and were able to keep battling. Senior Connor Ginskey took over for Dushek in the second half, securing some nice blocks and hitting some free throws to put the nail in the coffin and help the Huskies secure the victory. Ginskey said, “I was ready to play how I needed to play.” Ginskey was one of many to step for the Huskies on Friday night.
The team looked great Friday night seeing each other on the floor and pushing transition in the second half. Ty Creger and Brayden Williams played a huge role in the Huskies’ win against top-seeded Farmington. Creger was able to hit pull up jumpers all night, making him hard to guard, while Williams hit some important three-pointers to keep the Huskies ahead and give the team momentum. Though coming into the game as the underdogs the team didn’t feel this was true, Creger said, “We knew we should’ve been the one [seed], we really wanted to win and we wanted it really bad.”
Williams shared Creger’s sentiments. He said “Definitely being seeded second was a little bit more motivation. Our goal has been to get to the Target Center and play in that first round of state. We’re just enjoying the moment right now.” The Huskies have put in countless hours to get to this point and their win is well deserved.
Experience, dedication and togetherness have been key to the Huskies’ success this season. Head Coach Josh Williams said, “This is an experienced team and a senior-laden team. It started back in third, fourth, fifth grade with these guys with their passion for the game. They put in unbelievable time in the offseason and during the season to get here. They are as driven and focused as any team I’ve ever had.”
The Huskies now have a few days to prepare to make one final run. This time for a state championship. The boys basketball team will kick off their championship run at the Target Center on Tuesday, March 22 at 2:00 p.m. against the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders. There will be a state send off for the team on Monday, March 21 at 2:40 p.m. in the lower commons.
Tickets can be purchased at mshsl.org/tickets. More tournament information can be found here.
