Oregon Tech's Josh Wetzler, Christian Cavanaugh and Nate Lewis Enjoy the "Giant Swing" at Silver Dollar City in Branson on Tuesday (Photo by Kelly Caleb
Play Day for Oregon Tech in Branson
BRANSON, Mo. — Tuesday turned out to be play day for Oregon Tech’s men’s basketball team — but not before coach Danny Miles sent his team through a spirited one-hour workout. The Hustlin’ Owls, who take a No. 7 seed into a game at 7:45 p.m. (PDT) game Wednesday against Iowa Wesleyan in the first round of the NAIA Division II national tournament, used a combination of practice and play to work out the kinks associated with a long day of travel Monday. Miles, who enters the game with 875 career victories, smiled as he walked off the court at the Branson Intermediate School after the workout.
Miles’ biggest concern is stopping IWC’s 6-foot-4 Brett Humpal, who led the 20-10 Tigers in scoring, rebounding and steals this season on the way to 13-3 record, and second-place finish, in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. Grand View of Des Moines, Iowa, won the league title, but Iowa Wesleyan won the league’s postseason tournament to earn its third trip ever to the national championships at the College of the Ozarks. “We have to keep him from shooting the three (-point field goal),” Miles told his players during practice.
The Tigers, who are 0-2 in past national-tournament appearances, have made 37 percent of its three-point attempts this season, with Humpal, 6-2 Keenan Stanbridge and 5-10 Jared Callanan having combined for 171 of the Tigers’ 270 threes this season.
OIT’s Joshua Wetzler, meanwhile, could move from 10th on the all-time tournament rebounding chart to fourth with two solid performances. He would need more games to move higher, or to beat the career record of 130 rebounds held by Emiko Etete of Northwest Nazarene. Wetzler enters today’s game with 80 national tournament rebounds.
Keep up with the Owls in Branson with exclusive coverage on 92.5 KLAD-FM with Rob and Kevin, "The Wake-Up Crew" with interviews and more from 6am-9am. Sports Anchor Kelly Burke from KDKF/KDRV -TV Newswatch 12 will also be making the trip to Branson with exclusive coverage, Highlights and interviews. Steve Matthies will once again follow the Owls from Branson with daily segments, interviews, and all the Hustlin' Owl results and game re-caps in the Herald & News.