Myles Hanson had a case of deja vu Tuesday night as Chaska raced to a quick lead in its 79-58 victory against Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
Hanson had 20 points in the first half of the first meeting with the Red Knights on Jan. 5, but was stymied in the second half as Benilde-St. Margaret's came back from a 17-point deficit to win by three.
“We struggled as a team finishing out games that we were ahead,” Hanson said. “Same thing happened with Minnetonka.”
The loss wasn’t the way Chaska (16-4, 7-1) wanted to open the new year, but since then, the Hawks have won seven straight games, capitalized by a career-high 40 points from Hanson on his home court.
“I hate losing more than anything,” Hanson said. “Especially when we should have won that (first) game. So winning tonight was the most important thing to me, and I couldn’t be happier.”
From the initial tip-off, the junior was firing on all cylinders, scoring 16 of Chaska’s opening 18 points. He converted all seven of his shots in the first eight minutes of the game, including two three-pointers.
“Tonight in the first half, my shooting was on,” Hanson said.
Hanson took a seat on Chaska's bench to recharge, unaware of the torrid pace he was on.
“My teammate told me when I got on the bench that it was a quick 16,” he said.
He finished the half with 19 points, and while the shots weren't falling quite as easy in the second frame, the Hawks' ball movement opened lanes for him to drive that weren’t there in the first half.
“We move the ball so well, and with our height, it’s easy for us to switch on defense and not have mismatches,” Hanson said.
Now two games ahead of Benilde-St. Margaret's (13-5, 5-2), ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News, the defending Metro West champion Hawks hit the final stretch of their schedule with their toughest league opponent behind them.
Having already beaten No. 7-4A Shakopee and No. 8-4A Lakeville North, Chaska is still vying for a position in the Class 4A rankings and can make a statement winning out after avenging a loss to a conference adversary.
Despite what the standings show, Hanson said his team doesn’t plan on underestimating any opponent this late in the season.
“We’re really going in with our heads up high, but we’re also not going to take any team lightly,” Hanson said. “We’re not going to win any game with a complacent attitude.”
Chaska's Luke Hennen (5) works the ball inside. Hennen added 13 points to the Hawks victory over BSM. Photo by Cheryl Myers
First Report
Junior Myles Hanson posted a career-high 40 points in Chaska’s 79-58 win over Metro West Conference rival Benilde-St. Margaret’s Tuesday night.
The win avenged a three-point loss to the Red Knights on Jan. 5, the Hawks' (16-4, 7-1) only league loss this season.
Senior Luke Hennen scored 13 points while junior Andrew Kallman had 11 for Chaska.
Ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (13-6, 5-3) was led by senior Sam Baker’s 26 points.
