| Home / College Guide / Waiting game helps lead Randolphs Sam Grieger to WBCA All-Star game, UW-La Cross |
| Posted on Friday, July 01 @ 00:00:09 PDT |
WISCONSIN DELLS — Sam Grieger has long been a spectator of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Games.
When his cousin Jake Roberts, a 2019 Randolph graduate, got his chance to hit the Court of Champions at JustAgame Fieldhouse four short years ago, Grieger shifted his attention to taking place in the annual summer showcase.
He finally got that chance Thursday, and put on a show doing so, scoring a team-high 28 points in the White team’s 99-88 loss to the Red team in the opening Division 5 game.
“I’ve always wanted to play here and I’m glad I got the chance to. It was a fun experience,” Grieger said.
Randolphs Sam Grieger races up court against Reedsvilles Brennan Dvorachek (8) during the Division 5 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game on Thursday at JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.
SEAN DAVIS/Lee Sports Wisconsin He scored 15 points in the second half and finished 7-of-8 from the charity stripe, but it wasn’t enough to help lead the White team to victory. Teammate Gavin Thimm, of Hustisford, added a dozen points in the losing effort while Cambria-Friesland’s Owen Jones scored a pair as part of the Red team’s victory.
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Grieger said it allowed him to “see where I’m at and what I need to improve upon as a player,” something he’ll look to expand upon the next four years at UW-La Crosse. The 6-foot-4 guard, who helped guide the Rockets to the WIAA Division 5 state title this winter, their first since 2013, with a 65-51 win over Bangor, played the waiting game with the Eagles.
It wasn’t until after the state championship triumph that the Eagles joined the pursuit of Grieger, who was recruited by Ripon College and St. Norbert College during the season.
Randolphs Sam Grieger, who scored a game-high 28 points in the White teams 99-88 loss, committed to UW-La Crosse in early June. The 6-foot-4 guard waited for the Eagles to come calling all season long, and the phone eventually rang after he helped lead the Rockets to the WIAA Division 5 state title.
SEAN DAVIS/Lee Sports Wisconsin “About a week or two after, I was waiting for other coaches to see my options,” he said. “They came along, and obviously, it was the right fit.”
UW-La Crosse ultimately beat out an even bigger suitor in UW-Green Bay. For Grieger, it was his visit to the Eagles’ campus, and coach Kent Dernbach’s approach, that ultimately swayed him away from the Phoenix.
“I really loved the campus and coaches, and it just felt like a good fit for me,” he said.
Dernbach’s defense-heavy approach, akin to that of Randolph coach Tyler Fischer, was a main highlight, as well as the recent success Dernbach has had. Since taking over UW-La Crosse on March 12, 2018 after serving as interim coach for the 2017-18 season, Dernbach has compiled an 80-39 overall record, including 39-25 in WIAC play, in his first five seasons.
Cambria-Frieslands Owen Jones fires a pass during the Division 5 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game on Thursday at JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.
SEAN DAVIS/Lee Sports Wisconsin The Eagles tied a school record with 21 wins last season and made their third NCAA Division III tournament appearance. Prior to that, Dernbach served as associated coach at UW-Stevens Point from 2011-17, helping lead the Pointers to their most recent NCAA Div. III national championship in 2014-15, the same year they captured a third consecutive WIAC title.
“He’s a very successful coach and so coming from Randolph, we’re a very successful program as well,” Grieger said.
But ultimately what stood out most, and what made Grieger’s decision last until early June, was what the Eagles can provide for his future.
“I wanted to make sure I got the right choice,” he said. “I’m just trying to become the best person and player I can be, and I think UW-La Crosse can really help me do that.”
Hustisfords Gavin Thimm drives for a shot against Cassvilles Robbie Roe during the Division 5 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game on Thursday at JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.
SEAN DAVIS/Lee Sports Wisconsin Follow Sean Davis on Twitter @SDavis_PDR or contact him at 608-745-3512.
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