This time around, Waconia coach Patrick Hayes wants his team to hit the court running.
In a 66-64 loss at New Prague on Jan. 22, the Wildcats played to the Trojans' pace at the start and fell behind by as many as 17 points. That's when Hayes pressed the issue.
"We started to play more full-court defense and turned them over, which led to us getting in the open floor and turning those into points," Hayes said.
That helped PJ Hayes score 20 of his 22 points and Connor Schwob had 14 of his 21 in the second half. But the Wildcats (11-8, 4-2) ran out of time.
Waconia’s lost three of six games since, dropping out of the Class 3A rankings. Friday's tilt is a chance for the Wildcats to stop the slide and go into a four-game road swing on a positive note.
For New Prague, it's an opportunity to put a stronger grip on the Wright County East Conference standings lead. The Trojans (10-10, 5-0) already have victories over Waconia and Delano, and a series sweep of both teams likely would help the Trojans achieve their goal of winning a conference title. New Prague hosts Delano on Feb. 22.
"I think any time you are able to win a conference championship it is a big deal," New Prague coach Dan Peterka said. "There are some very quality programs in the Wright County Conference. It's a battle every night you take the court."
First, the Trojans will have to get past PJ Hayes (23.7 ppg), Schwob (10.6 ppg) and the Wildcats. New Prague has the length and depth to reach its goal. Hunter Nielsen, a 6-7 senior, leads the way with a 16.1-point scoring average. Nathan Brusseau, a 6-10 senior, averages 12.0 points and senior guard Parker Johnson averages 11.9 points.