The Owatonna boys varsity basketball team just finished their season 16-12. They headed into the first round of the section tournament as the fifth seed with something to prove. They faced the fourth seeded Lakeville North Panthers and won 73-72. After their win, they played the second round of sections on Saturday, March 7, against the first seed, Lakeville South. The game ended with a loss of 43-61. Owatonna finished the regular season 15–11, and even though their last game ended in a 77–71 loss to Northfield Raiders, it showed exactly what kind of team they are.
In that final season game, Owatonna was down by 12 points at halftime. A lot of teams would have given up or let the game get out of hand. Instead, the Huskies came out in the second half with energy and heart. They chipped away at and played their hardest.
Junior starting point guard Willie Moore shared what he thinks defines this year’s team. “I’ll say we’re a hard working team. In practice we work really hard and in games we like to work together and find the best shot. Mostly just teamwork on both ends of the court.” His words reflect what fans have seen all season. Owatonna does not rely on one single player. They move the ball, play defense together and try to make the extra pass to get a better look.
Moore also talked about how he plans to step up during the postseason. “I’m planning to be more of a vocal leader and take control of the game more on offense,” he said. As the starting point guard, he plays a big role in setting the tone. Being more vocal and confident with the ball could help the Huskies stay calm in big moments.
The 16-12 record shows that this team has battled through tough games all year. They have had ups and downs, Including a 9 game winning streak to get them going as a team.
Going into sections, senior starting center Will Halverson says, “We have been watching a lot of film and having great help from our teammates being scouts for us.” When asked what it meant to him to be a captain this year Halverson said, “It means that my teammates look up to me and I take responsibility.”
The Huskies’ season has now come to an end, Owatonna finished with a strong 16–12 record and had three of their five starters make honorable mention all conference including Willie Moore, Jackson Holder and Cooper Routh.
