After the River Falls High School boys basketball team lost an 85-81 shootout on the road against Chippewa Falls, head coach Zac Campbell and the Wildcats’ roster had a crucial postgame meeting in the locker room about the upcoming Menomonie Holiday Showcase.

After that painful overtime loss, Campbell and the boys decided they were going to sweep through the Menomonie Holiday Showcase. The Wildcats did exactly that with a 75-34 win against Tomah on Tuesday, Dec, 27, and a 59-46 victory over Wausau West on Wednesday, Dec. 28.

“When we left the Chippewa locker room the first thing we said was, ‘We’re going 2-0 in Menomonie and we will be the hardest working and toughest team there,”’ Campbell recalled. “I really think our guys embraced that yesterday and on the court today.”

See RF BBB, Page B-6 The Tomah Timberwolves averaged just over 56 points per game going into the first contest of the Showcase against River Falls. However, with nine minutes to play in the first half, River Falls had limited Tomah to five total points while building a double-digit lead.

River Falls regularly turned great defense into easy transition offense throughout the first half. Senior Aidan Carufel hit a couple of deep three-pointers en route to a 31-13 lead going into the halftime intermission.

The Wildcats’ suffocating defense continued into the second half. With just under 16 minutes remaining in regulation, the aforementioned Carufel flew into a passing lane, picked the ball off, and drove down for an uncontested layup to make it a 25-point lead, 39-14.

While River Falls played exceptional defense throughout the entire 36 minutes of action, they also shot it efficiently and rarely turned it over. The Wildcats shot 56% from the floor and 39% from three, and only recorded eight turnovers in the 75-34 blowout win.

“It was our best game of the year against a Tomah team that isn’t bad,” Campbell said. “Previously, our lowest turnover game was 16 against Hudson. Our last two against Chippewa and Tomah we turned it over a combined 14 times.”

River Falls has significantly reduced its turnovers throughout the last two weeks, which has led to more offensive opportunities and more overall points. Those extra offensive possessions have coincided with the Wildcats shooting it better from deep.

Through the first three weeks of the season, River Falls shot approximately 20% from deep. In the last three games, that figure has risen to nearly 40%, which has completely changed the Wildcats’ offensive production. Campbell spoke about what changed.

“We have enough guys that can shoot it and do things that when we give ourselves those possessions rather than turn them over, we can put up numbers like 75 and 80,” Campbell said. “We took (Tomah) completely out of rhythm yesterday. We locked them down, they got frustrated and we played with a whole lot of confidence offensively.”

After River Falls’ win on day one, the Wildcats returned for a day two matchup with the Wausau West Warriors on Wednesday afternoon. Although River Falls ultimately secured the 59-46 victory, the Wildcats reverted to more frequent turnovers and spotty threepoint shooting against the Warriors.

After a tough, defensive first 18 minutes of action, River Falls clung to a 22-17 lead going into the second half. Throughout the first five minutes of the second frame, River Falls senior guard Joey Butz hit a pair of three-pointers to help the Wildcats build a 34-24 lead with 13 minutes to play.

However, Wausau West refused to fold. The Warriors responded with a 15-4 run over the next five minutes that culminated in a corner three-pointer by senior Vince Hanz that gave Wausau West a 39-38 lead with just over eight minutes to play.

River Falls responded with a 12-2 run of its own, which culminated in a Butz corner three-pointer to make it a 50-41 game in favor of the Wildcats. Coach Campbell spoke about that second half which was essentially all big scoring runs.

“It was a bunch of runs and we felt like we came out and hit a shot or two and it provided a jolt of energy for us,” Campbell said. “Then they hit a shot or two and it provided a jolt of energy for them. It’s about weathering runs and we did that over the last five or six minutes.”

Part of River Falls’ ability to weather that big run in the second half was their success on the glass, most of which came from sophomore center Eli Johnson. Johnson finished the game with 10 boards, which led all players that afternoon.

“If you break down rebounds down the stretch, (Eli Johnson) probably had six of our last seven or eight,” Campbell said. “Not only because of the physical body he has, but because of his ability to rebound outside of his zone, and he’s so good at that. A lot of high school guys can’t do that.”

Through River Falls’ last four games, the Wildcats have won two and have had leads late in the second half against the other two, Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire Memorial. Both of those teams are picked to finish at or near the top of the Big Rivers Conference this year.

Even some of the better teams in recent River Falls memory didn’t play close games against Eau Claire Memorial, especially on the road. Coach Campbell spoke about something starting to click with this group that has the potential to be special.

“We said it in the locker room. This game we just played (against Wausau West) we had a zero percent chance of winning it three weeks ago,” Campbell said. “Guys are different and we’re making plays now. You’ve seen the flashes. We just went on the road to two top-tier teams in the league and had leads late. Our guys feel that it’s different and we’re in a better spot right now.”

River Falls leaves the annual Menomonie Holiday Showcase with a 2-0 record. The Wildcats are back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 3, on the road against Rice Lake. That game is slated to begin at 7:15 p.m.

River Falls senior guard Aidan Carufel plays tight on-ball defense against Wausau West senior Cole Nelson. Photo by Reagan Hoverman