ECM Post Review - Vikings boys basketball wraps up season

Vikings boys basketball wraps up season

By Steve Morris

The North Branch boys basketball team held its award banquet March 31 at the high school cafeteria.

“To say this season was disappointing would be an understatement. We had high hopes for this year after last season because of the players we had returning. Things just didn’t work out the way we planned right from the start,” head coach Bill Baumann said.

Senior Jake Chambers was named to the North Suburban all-conference team and ended his high school career as the Vikings second all-time leading scorer with 1,293 career points. Chambers averaged nearly 16 points a game this season. Matt Fletcher, now a senior at Southwest Minnesota State, is first all-time with 1518.

Chambers finished second in rebounding with 431, trailing Fletcher who had 470, eighth in three pointers, ninth in assists, 14th in steals and 25th in three point field goal percentage.

He was selected to play in the second annual South Central High School Basketball All-Star game on April 6.

Senior John Lindstrom was named all-conference honorable mention and Eric Sampson and Alex Sundly were academic all-conference.

Chambers, Kirk Dahle (2.6 ppg), Danny Ginal (4.15 ppg), Bryce Hunter (3.8 ppg), Lindstrom (8.7 ppg), Victor Oyesile, Sampson (3.4 ppg) and Sundly all will graduate this year, leaving space for newcomers to come in.

Baumann remains positive about the outlook on the program.

“To be competitive in the North Suburban and in our section there has to be a commitment to put in the extra work in the gym during the summer. As I always tell them don’t look back after your career and have any regrets. Don’t be the one that says I wish I would have done this. You get what you put into it. Whether it is on or off the court if you don’t put anything into it, don’t expect any rewards,” he said.

Comments (18) add comment

MLI: ...

I think Baumann's last statement sums everything up for the basketball and football programs the last few years. The commitment from the kids as been terrible. I know baumann has opened the gym up in the summer for guys to come work out and hardly any ever show, most are too busy playing video games or most say they have to "work". And there are people who say the conf is too tough and blah blah blah, but when you dont put in the time or effort in the offseason, youre gonna get creamed. The players from other teams spend hours A DAY in the weight room and working on skills during the summer, at NB they are lucky if they spend a couple hours a week. The former NB teams that were successful in basketball and football, those guys put the time and effort in during the offseason and were good because of it, and yes it was a different conf, but the Rum produced its fair share of state tourney teams and champs in football, so their should be no more excuses, especially from the parents. If your want your kids to win, then tell them to get off their butt and go work out!!!

April 08, 2008

Elaine Ginal: ...

If you are going to write a statement like that why don't have names to back up your statement and also be a man or a woman and use your name. Do not hide behind your intials. I hope you respond to my comment with your name. My son Danny Ginal played for Baumann and I am proud of coach Baumann and my son. My son Danny plays Basketball and Baseball and is committed to the school, his team and his coaches. My son gets off his butt and works out. He is a good student and a hard working athlete. HOw dare you write a comment about the team like that without using names and proof. Signed Elaine (Missy) Ginal, Danny Ginal's mom.

April 08, 2008

Tom Johnson: ...

What the person is saying is that there is little commitment besides the two hours that the boys are at practice. The truth hurts sometimes but let's be honest, your boy (and very few others)has not spent much time in the weight room or gym in the off-season. Sometimes we have to let the kids take their deserved criticism without trying to stick up for them.

April 09, 2008

Elaine Ginal: ...

Mr. Johnson, and MLI,let me tell you where my son is in the basketball offseason.... For the past 4 years,he not only plays baseball for the school but he also plays legion ball, and is a member of the MYAS Gopher State baseball association, as a pitcher/1st baseman for the North Metro Barons, who by the way WON their division 3 years in a row, and placed 2nd in a tournament which won them a berth in the USSSA World Series in Orlando this past July. They placed 5th out of 16 teams in the World Series in Orlando this past July and have been invited to play this year again. From April until November he is playing baseball and conditioning himself. He is dedicated 7 days week to the sport. He not only is dedicated to baseball, he does well in school,which is extremely important, fishes and plays golf, and yes I admit he plays poker. No, he does not have a job and play video games all day. Not one day goes by that he is not making sure that he is in top form for baseball. He enjoys basketball and yes I admit he could have spent a bit more time in the gym working on his basketball skills, however that was his choice. I thought Danny played ok in basketball, yes he could have been better. I am sticking up for my son because the coward that wrote the first comment and did not leave their name placed my son in a spotlight that is not him when he states "baumann has opened the gym up in the summer for guys to come work out and hardly any ever show, most are too busy playing video games or most say they have to "work"..... That is NOT my son, and yes I will stick up for him on that one. Danny is an outstanding son, he has given his Dad and I so much to be proud of and when someone says something negative that I know not to be true, my maternal instinct comes out. Danny is not involved in the football team so I do not have anything to add about that. I do not know if you have a son that plays baseball please come out to the games and support the team, we are going to have an outstanding year this year. Not many people in this town support our athletes which is sad, typically the only fans at the baseball games are the grandparents and parents and a few students. Maybe if our students were "Allowed" to show school spirit all of our teams would play better. Having community support and school spirit plays a large role in how our athletes perform, but hat is a subject for another time. Elaine (Missy) Ginal proud mom of Danny Ginal.

April 09, 2008

Jenny G.: ...

What do you mean by "allowed" to show school spirit?

April 10, 2008

Tom Johnson: ...

They are allowed to show school spirit but unfortunately, some decide to show it by making deragatory comments to the other teams/fans and bringing whiteboards so that they can write nasty remarks to the other team. Check with the young men who do that before you accuse the school of not allowing them to show true school spirit (I.E. positive school spirit).

April 10, 2008

Elaine Ginal: ...

I will be sure to do that Mr. Johnson.

April 10, 2008

Elaine Ginal: ...

Jenny,I would be happy to explain what I mean by not "allowed" to show school spirit,and please advise on my questions. Varsity basketball games should be filled with excitement and joy. Why do we not have our cheerleaders at all of the games? The girls are outstanding, they would really get the crowd pumped up and cheering, and get the players adrenalin going. Our dance team is so exciting to watch and those girls work so hard,it would be wonderful to enjoy their hard work and dedication. Why are they not dancing at all the games and not just a few? (I am not involved in either of those programs so I do not know if they have other commitments.) How about our awesome school band? Yes they are at a few and it has been so exciting when they play, but why not all the games? If we had that, then more students would come out and we would fill the stands. Maybe more of our community would come out if we could offer free admissions to senior citizens to all school events. School spirt should be at every sporting event.

April 10, 2008

Tom Johnson: ...

Mrs. Ginal: You have brought up some good points about school spirit. If we brought out the cheerleaders and the band that would certainly help. I just "butted" in because I have heard too many parents whining about the way things are, but are unwilling to monitor the work ehtic and behavior of their children. You look to be one of those parents that has things figured out.

April 10, 2008

Shawn Muller: ...

You are joking about the Cheerleaders right??? Ive been attending NB athletic events for over 20 years and the cheerleaders have done nothing to pump up the crowd. They stand there, i remember almost 10 years ago, i was talking to some of the basketball players and they said their best cheerleaders were a handful of their male classmates who went to the games. They were the ones starting the cheers and getting the crowd into it. The cheerleaders did nothing and i witnessed it!!! Then secondly the crowds about 5-10 years ago were much bigger than the past couple years because the teams were good and had fun players on the team to watch. Im sorry, coach Baumann does a terrific job with what kind of cards he's dealt, but the past couple years he hasnt had a great deal to work with. Its brutal watching teams that dont shoot real well, and dont handle the ball well. The only bright spot is how hard they play. You can always count on Baumann coached teams to play hard, but that doesnt sell tickets and pump people up. Until there is a product on the floor that wins, crowds will be small, do you think community memebers want to watch a team that goes 8-19 or a team that wins almost 20 games. because when they were winning more people went. I remember the fun games when they played CL and packed the gym, and the basketball was good, those were fun times, but this year, watching a team struggle to score 20 points in a half wasnt. And the same goes for football. I reemebr when you couldnt find a seat in the stands and the area by the fences were 2 rows deep, now you can throw rocks and not hit a person in the stands.

April 10, 2008

Jenny G.: ...

I don't know the answers to the cheerleading and dance line questions as I am not involved with the school system. I do agree that positive school spirit should be at every sporting event. I also agree that I saw a lot of the behavior from the kids that Tom references. Unfortunatley if more cuts need to be made in our school system many of these programs may no longer exist. It is not looking good.

April 10, 2008

Steve: ...

North Branch does not have cheerleading.

April 10, 2008

Danny Ginal: ...

As a North Branch athlete I would like to put my observation as an athlete and a fan. At the volleyball games this year we would get a decent amount of fans at the games, and we were loud! But our volleyball team wasn't the greatest. I remember one game a girl on the other team made a bad play and we chanted you! you! you! and someone came over and told us to stop. And we would do other chants and yell out there number and stuff, but for some reason that's not allowed at north branch. The next game and the rest of the year the first three rows were taped off. A lot of people stopped going. Now there was a person or two that said the wrong thing but they were takin care of. At the volleyball's playoff game we were givin a LIST of chants that we can do. They were the most rediculous things i have every seen. But as an athlete it's a different story. Every single basketball game at half time when were walking into the locker room horrible things are said to us, and they're loud. I have heard some really nasty things said to Jake (edited) on that court. At a game in columbia heights everytime i touched the ball i would hear the crowd in the background saying that i sucked or that i'm horrible. At the chisago game this year Jake was shooting a free throw and it was all quiet then right before he was about to shoot someone yelled out "(edited) you suck!" Now we can't even say a number but they can say that? And i know that we don't get a lot of fans at our game but as an athlete it would be nice to have a lot of fans no matter how many wins or losses we have. Honestly I would rather go to chisago lakes and play a game where they have to sell tickets in advance it was so packed there then to play at home. by the way chisago went like 6 and 20 so it is possible to get a lot of fans at your game if your team isn't that good.

Admin note: The last name of the player mentioned in this comment was removed.

April 10, 2008

Lynn S.: ...

Times have changed. I graduated from NBHS in '79. The majority of us that were involved in sports were not trying to hold down a job at the same time. Our school spirit was great, but we also had both parents, brothers and sisters and maybe even a grandparent or two, in the stands at almost every game or meet. Like I said, times have changed, I'm glad I grew up in "the good old days"

April 10, 2008

Elaine Ginal: ...

I agree with you Lynn, I graduated in 78 from high school in Orchard Park New York. Most students that were involved in Athletics or band, did not hold down a job, because not many owned cars, we borrowed mom or dads, if your grades were bad, you did not use the car! A couple of my friends had to work because of family hardship. When I was in high school, the stands were full, we cheered as loud and as hard as we could. School spirit was alive and fun. THe entire community supported us student athletes no matter what our record was. Our cheerleading squad (which we do not have in NOrth Branch I have now learned) was AMAZING! They pumped up the crowd and it was exciting. The band played at every home basketball and football game. Ahhhh the good old days.

April 11, 2008

Jenny G.: ...

Danny,

I am sorry that you had to endure the berating from fans while you played. This is very poor sportmanship. That being said two wrongs do not make a right. Calling out a high schooler at any sport with either their name or number is wrong. I agree that the North Branch fan behavior should have been stopped. I am a believer in cheering for your own team, not degrading the other.

April 11, 2008

Shawn Muller: ...

The taunting froms fans while wrong, happens all the time in hs sports. Danny I know you heard alot of things but trust many others from NB have gone through a lot worse. Like i said ive watched NB athletics for over 20 years and they have had some real heated rivralries over those years, the worst being with CL from about the later 90s up until about 5 years ago or so. There was some bad blood between the schools and the NB players got ragged on by the CL fans really bad. If you want examples just go ask Coach Baumann what his sons and their teammates went through when they played CL. Now granted the older son, was an intense player and played hard and with passion and wasnt one to shy away from riling up the CL fans, but I happened to be sitting behind some CL students at a home NB game his senior year and you should of heard some of the things yelled at him. Those things would have made a grown man blush. And just so you know Dan, your game at CL was when they had their big inductees for their Hall of Fame and had other things going on thats why there was more people there. And they were not preselling tickets because they were afraid of a sell out. And just so you know, when NB used to play CL in NB the place was packed, if you dont belive me, go ask coach baumann to see the video from those games. The caliber of play was much better and those teams were good. and it does matter how well your teams does, community members dont want to pay money to watch a team that can only muster 8 wins. and really thats been happening for a number of the past years. Chisago Lakes also started drawing fans, because they have a player on their team, the really tall kid, who will probably play D1 basketball and from what im told is exciting to watch. I remember reading in the paper this winter that Tubby Smith was at one of their games watching the kid from Cooper play and he said the CL could was fun to watch and D1 caliber. So when you have a player like that, you can have a bad record and people will still come, and likei said NB doesnt have a player that stands out and can draw people to games by himself.

April 11, 2008

Danny Ginal: ...

Yeah our team has watched the tapes when (name edited) bauman's team played. A great team they could shoot the lights out, but the thing they did best was they executed everything. We would watch their tapes after bad games to watch what were supposed to do, we would be amazed. Your right about that player that doesn't stand out though, I mean chambers can only do so much but i like watching (edited) norman the best. It's neat watching a 5 foot 4 kid playing varsity basketball.

April 11, 2008

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